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the

Wrestling
Drill Book
BILL WELKER
EDITOR

Human Kinetics

This book is dedicated to Coach Mal Paul and Coach Lyman Beans Weaver.
These men knew the significance of drill work for producing championship
teams and wrestlers. As coaches, they not only developed athletes but also
molded boys into men, epitomizing the essence of integrity, hard work, and
perseverance. Coach Paul and Coach Weaver have since been inducted into
the National Wrestling Hall of Fame from the Pennsylvania Chapter.

Mal Paul
Head wrestling coach
Shamokin High School
1946-1965

Lyman Beans Weaver


Assistant wrestling coach
Shamokin High School
1950-1965

Contents
Drill Finder
Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

vi

Foreword

ix

Introduction: The Purpose

xi

Essential Movement Drills . . . . . . . . . . . . 1


Bill Archer

Chapter 2

Takedown Drills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Dave LaMotte

Chapter 3

Escape and Reversal Drills . . . . . . . . . . . 85


Pat Pecora

Chapter 4

Riding to Pinning Combination Drills . . 115


Ed Peery

Chapter 5

Advanced Pinning Combination Drills . . 153


Jim Akerly and Craig Turnbull

Chapter 6

Conditioning Drills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177


Ken L.Taylor

Chapter 7

Effective Practices
and Off-Season Activities . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Bill Welker

About the Editor

239

About the Contributors

240

Chapter 1 - Neutral Position


1 Changing Level for Penetration
2 Head-in-Chest Penetration
3 Sprawl-Back Drill
4 Pummeling
5 Pummeling to a Duck-Under
6 Spin Drill

N
N
N
I
A
N

P
P
S
P
P
P

4
6
8
9
10
12

Chapter 1 - Defensive Position


7 Stand-Up on the Wall
N
8 Holding Your Base
N
9 Stand-Up Against a Spiral Ride I
10 Finishing the Stand-Up, Cut-Away I
11 SwitchReswitch
I
12 Upper-Shoulder Roll Drill
I

S
P
P
P
P
S

14
15
16
18
20
22

Chapter 1 - Offensive Position


13 Scrambling
14 Following the Hips
15 Lift and Return
16 Spiral Ride to Navy Exposure
17 Spiral Ride to Hook and Pin

I
N
I
I
I

P
P
P
P
P

23
24
25
26
28

33

N
I
N
I
N

P
P
P
P
P

35
37
39
40
42

Chapter 2 - Takedown Drills


18 Single-Leg to Double-Leg Attack
Drill
19 Double-Leg Attack Drill
20 Double-Leg to Single-Leg Drill
21 Lifting Drill
22 The Double-Leg Trip Drill
23 Double-Leg Drive-Through When
Opponent Reaches

Chapter 2 - Takedown Drills (continued)


24 Inside Arm-Drag to Double-Leg A
Drive-Through Drill
25 Outside Arm-Drag to Double-Leg A
Drive-Through
26 Elbow Pull and Inside Single-Leg A
to Double-Leg Drive-Through
27 Elbow Block to Double-Leg Drive- I
Through
28 Elbow Head Pull to Single-Leg I
29 Shrug
I
30 Firemans Carry Drill
I
31 Opposite-Leg Firemans Carry A
Drill
32 Single-Leg Attack From
I
Opponents Underhook Drill
33 Side Headlock Drill
I
Chapter 2 - Takedown Counter Drills
34 Snap-Down Redirect Drill
I
35 Snap-Down to Shuck Drill
I
36 Front Headlock to Butt-Drag Drill I
37 Front Headlock to Shuck Drill I
38 Front Headlock to Cross-Ankle A
Cradle Drill
39 Double-Leg Reaction Counter Drill I
40 The Double-Leg Whizzer Counter I
Drill
41 Hip-Heist Single-Leg Counter Drill I
42 Single-Leg Counter Drill
I
43 The Single-Leg Spladdle Counter A
Drill

vi

Page number

Difficulty
Category

Name

Drill number

Page number

Difficulty
Category

Name

Drill number

Drill Finder

44

46

48

50

P
P
P
P

52
54
56
58

60

62

P
P
P
P
P

64
66
68
70
72

P
P

74
76

P
P
P

78
80
82

Chapter 3 - Escape and Reversal Drills


44 Inside Control in the Standing N
Position
45 Inside Control Drill From the
N
Knees
46 Inside Control Advanced Drills I
47 Heavy Drills When Opponent Has N
Inside Control
48 Land Like a Cat
N
49 The Whizzer Escape Drill
I
50 Schickel Switch
I
51 Standing Peterson Roll
I
Chapter 3 - Maintaining a Good Base
52 Base-Building Drill
53 Belly-to-Base Drill
54 Skating Drill
55 Switch Drill
56 Sit-Out Drill
57 Push-and-Pull From Sit-Out
58 Granby-Roll Series

N
N
N
N
N
N
A

87

89

P
P

90
91

P
P
P
P

92
93
95
96

P
P
P
P
S
P
P

98
98
99
100
101
102
103

Chapter 3 - Escape and Reversal Counter Drills


59 Lift and Sweep
I P
60 Last-Resort Leg Tackle
N P
61 Switch High-Leg Counter Drill I P
62 Limp-Arm Counter to Switch Drill I P
63 Sit-Out Single Underhook and I P
Chin Counter Drill
64 Sit-Out Cradle Counter Drill
I P
65 Granby Spin-Around Counter Drill A P
66 Granby Head-Hand Post Roll
A P
Through Counter Drill
Chapter 4 - Riding Drills
67 Offensive Wrestler Weight and
Chest Position Drill
68 Forward Trip Drill
69 Tight Waist-to-Arm Bar/Half
Nelson Drill
70 Head-and-Arm Lever Breakdown
to Half Nelson Drill

105
106
107
108
109
110
111
113

N P

117

N P
N P

118
120

N P

122

Chapter 4 - Riding Drills (continued)


71 Far-Arm Near-Ankle Breakdown
to Half Nelson Drill
72 Crossface-Cradle Drill
73 Near-Arm/Waist-to-Crossface
Cradle Drill
74 Crossbody Ride Drill
75 Guillotine Drill
76 Jacobs Ride Drill

Page number

Difficulty
Category

Name

vii

Drill number

Page number

Difficulty
Category

Name

Drill number

Drill Finder

124

I
I

P
P

126
128

I
A
A

P
P
P

130
132
134

N
I
I
N

P
P
P
S

136
138
140
142

N P

144

N P

146

N P
I P

148
149

150

Chapter 5 - Prepinning Warm-Up Drills


86 Monkey on the Back
A
87 Tilt Loading Drill
A
88 Spiral Breakdown
I
89 Wrist-to-Back Drill
I

P
P
P
P

155
157
159
161

Chapter 4 - Riding Counter Drills


77 Freeing Hands and Wrist Drill
78 Gizoni Standing Drill
79 Gizoni Sitting Drill
80 Half Nelson Bridging Counter
Solitary Drill
81 Half Nelson Bridging Counter
With Partner Drill
82 Half Nelson Counter From the
Referees Position Drill
83 Head-Behind-Arm Counter Drill
84 Forward Knee Pinch Crossbody
Ride Counter Drill
85 Arm Block Crossbody Ride
Counter Drill

Chapter 5 - Advanced Pinning Combination Drills


90 High Half Nelson
I P 163
91 Arm Bar and Half Nelson
I P 165
92 Arm Bar and Half Nelson Stack A P 167
93 Arm Bar to Pec Tilt
A P 169
94 Cross Wrist to Turk
A P 171
95 Two-on-One Tilt
A P 173
Chapter 6 - Agility and Quickness Drills
96 Shadow Wrestling From the
I
Neutral Position

211

Page number

Difficulty
Category

Name

Page number

Difficulty
Category

Name

Drill number

Chapter 6 - Agility and Quickness Drills (continued)


97 Shadow Wrestling From the
I S 212
Bottom Referees Position
98 Game 1: The Knee Slap
N P 213
99 Game 2: Foot Tag
N P 214
100 Game 3: Multiple Quickness and
215
Agility Activities
The Quick Stand
N P 215

Drill number

Drill Finder

viii

Chapter 6 - Agility and Quickness Drills (continued)


The Leg Break Away
I P 216
The Double-Cradle Fight
I P 216
101 Reaction Drills
N S 217
102 Spin Drill for Conditioning
N P 218
103 Hip-Heist Drill
I S 219
104 Ironman Drill
I P 222
105 Pummeling Drills
I P 223

Key
Drill level of difficulty: N = Novice; I = Intermediate; A = Advanced
Drill category: S=Solitary; P=Partner

Foreword

The Wrestling Drill Book is unique in that it assists coaches from the youth to
college levels to develop championship wrestlers by teaching the basics. We
often forget that it is the simple foundations of a sport that produce winning
programs and contestants.
Some of the best high school and collegiate coaches in the nation were
selected as chapter authors. These coaches developed their chapters in a sequential manner, moving from simple to more complex drills. Both initial and
counter drills are stressed in each of the first five chapters, with chapter 6 offering a plethora of conditioning drills.
There are no fancy clinic drills. The book allows all coaches to choose those
drills that are appropriate to their wrestlers abilities and needs. Furthermore,
each phase of wrestling includes drills that are easy to understand, teach, and,
ultimately, perform.
The final chapter adds structure to drill work and well beyond. The editor,
Bill Welker, shares his five decades of experience as a competitor, coach, and official. He reveals basic practice outlines, workout formats, motivational methods,
and yearlong strategies for developing championship wrestling programs. It
is like having a coaches handbook to support dynamic drill instruction.
You will find The Wrestling Drill Book a must-read no matter what level of
the sport you coach. You made a very wise choice.
Bobby Douglas
Head wrestling coach
Iowa State University

ix

Acknowledgments

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of the coaches who
made The Wrestling Drill Book a reality. I also want to thank Mike Dyer, strength
and conditioning coach at Rocky Mountain High School (Colorado).
Special note of appreciation is forwarded to the modelsRonnell Green,
Joel Timmons, Abby Rush, Cody Miller, Ronnie Green, and Bryce Rushfor
their dedicated efforts during the photo sessions. Also, gratitude is extended
to the administration and Coach Larry Shaw for the use of their mat room at
Oak Glen High School (West Virginia). Coach Shaws additional expertise was
greatly appreciated, along with Coach Buzz Evans of Wheeling Park High
School (West Virginia).
A note of thanks to Andrew R. Welker for his technological support. Likewise, appreciation is expressed to Mark Anderman, the freelance photographer
for this book, for his undaunted patience. A special thank-you to my friends,
the late Coach Joseph J. Thomas and the late Sgt. Mark J. Gerrity, USMC, men
who cherished every aspect of the sport of wrestling.
I also want to thank Human Kinetics staff members Ted Miller, Ed McNeely,
Jason Muzinic, Jennifer Walker, Kase Johnstun, Sue Outlaw, Jennifer Altstadt,
Mandy Maiden, and Cathy Gundrum for their professionalism throughout
the development of this book.
Finally, a loving thank-you to my wife, Peggy, for her words of encouragement and patience from the beginning to the conclusion of this writing
project.

Introduction:
The Purpose

The reality has been and will always remain the same: Champions are made
in the practice room. The prime ingredient is drill, drill, drill during every
wrestling workout session. This creates something akin to that elusive realm
known as athletic perfection.
Without move perfection in wrestling, the wrestler who must think before
reacting is lost. One high school wrestling coach put it bluntly: If I have to yell
at you what to do during a match, its too late. Thats why the hell we drill.
Unfortunately, should such drill engagement be disorganized and not
based on successful practice or experience, the wrestlers will gain nothing
from the endeavor except bad habits. Sometimes, practice makes permanent,
not perfect.
The purpose of this instructional book is to expose you to wrestling drills
in a systematic order that have been proven advantageous via the test of time.
They are founded on the basics of the mat sport. The wrestling drills are primarily geared toward coaches at the high school and college levels. However,
these drills would be very beneficial to junior high and middle school and
youth coaches as well.
As the editor of this book, Bill Welker was determined to create a wrestling
resource that would assist all scholastic coaches in producing championshipcaliber wrestlers.
The drills described in the ensuing chapters are based on the importance
of proper hip positioning (or center of gravity) in all facets of wrestling. It is
a fundamental aspect of the mat sport often overlooked by coaches. Also, the
drills are presented in a manner that leads the participants to the big picture
of actual wrestling.
Chapter 1 concentrates on essential movement drills in the areas of takedowns, escapes and reversals, and riding and pinning combinations. The
reader will also be exposed to essential counter drills for the various initial
drills demonstrated. Bill Archer, chapter 1 contributor, will walk you through
every step.

xi

xii

Introduction

Chapters 2 through 5 illustrate both skill and corresponding counter skill


drills to actual moves. The emphasis in these chapters is on takedowns, escapes,
reversals, rides, and pinning combinations. This approach clearly promotes
wrestler awareness of how wrestling is a sport composed of a relationship
between moves and countermoves. Dave LaMotte, Pat Pecora, Ed Peery, Jim
Akerly, and Craig Turnbull are the contributors who brilliantly display these
important practice drills.
Chapter 6 presents significant conditioning drills. They include strength,
endurance, cardiovascular enhancement, and flexibility drills. Their purpose
is twofold in nature. First, they assist in developing wrestler conditioning. And
second, they prepare the wrestler for live-action wrestling. Coach Ken Taylor
does an outstanding job illustrating how important these conditioning drills
are to producing championship wrestlers.
Chapter 7 was written by the editor, Dr. William A. Bill Welker, who has
been an active participant in scholastic wrestling for 50 years as a competitor, coach, official, and author. Chapter 7 offers a yearlong workout road map
for dedicated coaches and wrestlers that begins with discussing pre- and inseason practices. It also examines such significant topics as instruction on new
moves, organized drill formats, wrestler staleness, and coaching enthusiasm.
The author introduces coaches to various specialized wrestling workouts: chain
wrestling, situation wrestling, round-robin wrestling, and blindfold wrestling.
He concludes by suggesting numerous off-season activities, such as running,
weightlifting, and other sport endeavors, that will further assist in promoting
wrestling endurance and movement skills.
The drills emphasized in this wrestling reference book have been developed
and utilized by ultrasuccessful coaches for decades throughout the country.
They work because they are grounded on sound principles of wrestling.
As a responsible and dedicated coach, you know the level of knowledge
and ability of the wrestlers under your charge. The format of this book allows
you to choose those drills that would be the most beneficial for your mat sport
competitors.
Everyone knows that the fundamentals (or essentials) breed champions and
winning teams in all sports at every level of competition. The Wrestling Drill Book
offers such a back-to-basics approach and will guide you in that direction.

chapter 1

Essential
Movement Drills
Bill Archer
Accept the challenges, so that you may feel
the exhilaration of victory.
General George S. Patton

The Wrestling Drill Book

Wrestling, like most sports, is a competition made up of movements and


involving the starting and stopping of motion. During the infancy of wrestling in America, coaches taught holds; today, coaches teach moves, or essential
movements.
Essential movements in wrestling need to be drilled correctly and repeatedly
in order for the wrestler to experience success during competition. Thus, the
structure of drills must be such that the essential skills develop the ability to
execute moves naturally.
The coaches and wrestlers attitude toward the drilling process is of paramount importance. To let the wrestlers slowly and thoughtlessly go through the
motions makes the drills lose much of their value. The coaches and wrestlers
must perform drill work as closely to live wrestling as possible.
The following movement drills are intended to prepare wrestlers for those
drills that promote perfection of techniques in all areas of wrestling. With the
successful completion of movement drills, the wrestlers are better prepared
for and have a deeper understanding of proper movement when practicing
drills in all facets of the sport. Introduce these movement drills at the beginning of the wrestling season. In the following movement drills and the drills
throughout the rest of the book, wrestler 1 and wrestler 2 will be referred to
as W1 and W2.

Movement Drills in Neutral Position


There is no area in wrestling more important than the neutral position; matches
are often won or lost in this area. It is imperative that the coach place significant
emphasis on movement drills in the neutral position. If a wrestler is weak on
his feet, he will be at a disadvantage during the rigors of competition.

Stance
An essential wrestling stance must be both offensive and defensive in nature.
In this position a wrestler can quickly adjust to changing situations and is
prepared to attack or to defend his opponents attack.

CHAPTER 1

Essential Movement Drills

Emphasize the following fundamentals of stance and movement:


1. Beware of extreme positions. For example, the wrestlers must always
attempt to keep their feet no more than shoulder-width apart for sound
balance. Also, the wrestlers need to position their elbows in front of their
bodies, slightly bent toward each other. This prevents the wrestlers opponents from gaining inside control.
2. Keep compact with a low center of gravity.
3. Never cross your feet.
4. Tuck your head, facing the opponents midsection.
5. Keep elbows against the body and palms facing each other.
6. Take small steps, except when attacking.
The following drills prepare the wrestlers to hone skills related to a solid
and defensive stance.

CHANGING LEVEL FOR PENETRATION

Setup
W2 stands with his legs well enough apart so W1 can penetrate through
them (a). W1 is facing W2 in the neutral stance previously described.

Action
W1 lowers his hips and steps forward toward W2. Next, W1 penetrates through
W2s legs, scooting on his hands and knees underneath W2s body (b). W1
completes the drill by returning to his original stance facing away from W2 (c).
Have wrestlers change positions and repeat the drill, continuing to repeat the
drill in this reverse-role sequence until you are satisfied with their performance,
as with all drills.

Coaching Point
This drill emphasizes the importance of lowering the hips (or center of gravity)
before attacking an opponents legs. It also demonstrates to the wrestlers the
significance of penetrating through their opponents, especially when attempting a double-leg takedown.

HEAD-IN-CHEST PENETRATION

Setup
W2 holds W1s head on his chest in the standing position (a). W1 faces W2 in
the basic neutral stance previously described.

Action
W1 penetrates knee-over-toe, grabbing a single leg, driving in, and picking
up the leg (b-c). He then drops the leg and takes the same shot on the opposite
leg.

Coaching Point
The primary purpose of this drill is for the drill wrestler to back up the drill
partner with each shot. It also teaches the wrestlers about the importance of
giving it that second effort when the initial maneuver is unsuccessful in match
competition. This drill further assists wrestlers in learning to keep their heads
in proper position when performing certain single-leg takedowns.

SPRAWL-BACK DRILL

Setup
This is a solitary drill in which each wrestler starts in a square stance in the
neutral position (a).

Action
On the whistle, the wrestler sprawls to the mat, landing on hands and feet
with a slight twist of the hips (b).

Coaching Point
It is very important to emphasize that the knees not touch the mat when sprawling. The wrestlers must understand that dropping to the knees when sprawling
allows their opponents to pull their legs in for the takedown.

PUMMELING

Setup
Both drill partners start from the overhook and underhook position, with the
lead leg always on the underhook side. They must also have their knees slightly
bent, positioning their heads on their overhook side (a).

Action
On the whistle, the wrestlers are constantly attempting the underhook position
by digging into their partners armpit, alternating underhook arms during
the drill (b). Their heads rotate to the opposite side as they switch from the
overhook to the underhook. The wrestlers feet should also be moving with
their upper bodies, the lead foot always on the underhook side.

Coaching Point
This drill emphasizes the importance of inside control when wrestling in the
neutral position. It also assists the wrestlers in becoming more aggressive as
they work to gain inside control during actual competition.

PUMMELING TO A DUCK-UNDER

Setup
The two wrestlers start from the overhook and underhook position (a).

Action
As each partner starts to dig in on the overhook side, W1 raises his underhook
elbow high, forcing W2s elbow above his shoulder (b). The move sets up
W1s opportunity for the duck-under. At this point, W1 lowers his hips as he
steps behind W2 with his left leg, ducking his head under W2s arm (c). W1
finishes the move by coming up behind W2 and locking his hands around
W2s body.

Coaching Point
This drill emphasizes the importance of lowering the hips (or center of gravity)
before executing the duck-under takedown. Stress the importance of staying
tight against an opponents body when executing the duck-under. Also, stress
the need to arch the head back so an opponent cannot reestablish his original
arm position, blocking the duck-under maneuver.

10

11

SPIN DRILL

Setup
W2 stabilizes his position on his knees and elbows, covering his head. W1, who
will perform the Spin Drill, puts his chest on top of W2s back (a).

Action
On the whistle, W1 blocks W2s triceps with his near arm in the direction he is
spinning (b). As he turns the corner, W1 takes short choppy steps. He continues
spinning in the same direction until the coach blows the whistle for him to
change direction (c).

Coaching Point
It is important that the drill wrestler stay off his knees throughout the drill
for full mobility.

12

13

14

The Wrestling Drill Book

Movement Drills in Defensive Position


Proper defensive position has been neglected in recent years; coaches should
spend more time teaching it. The wrestler with insufficient defensive positioning skills is an easier target to be tilted or pinned.

STAND-UP ON THE WALL

Setup
The wrestlers put themselves in the defensive referees position with the side
of their body against the wrestling room wall (a).

Action
They then quickly stand up, stepping with their outside leg and placing their
back against the wall. Their upper legs should be parallel to the mat (b).

Coaching Point
This drill promotes stand-up quickness and proper positioning after the standup.

HOLDING YOUR BASE

Setup
W1 and W2 are in the referees position (a).

Action
On the whistle, W1 must avoid being forced down to the mat. During the
drill, W1 spreads his base and goes to both his elbows and hands, while W2
attempts to drive him off his base (b).

Coaching Point
Stress to the wrestlers that they must not drop to the abdomen because that is
when the opponent can turn them onto their backs.

15

STAND-UP AGAINST A SPIRAL RIDE

Setup
In this drill, W2 starts in the spiral ride position, with his right hand locked
inside W1s far leg and left arm across W1s upper chest. W1 is in the basic
defensive referees position (a).

Action
On the whistle, W1 scoots his inside knee away and pushes his back against
W2s chest. W1 then raises his outside leg to place his foot on the mat. At the
same time, W1 isolates W2s inside hand with both his hands (b). W1 extends
W2s inside hand away from his body, while driving off his front foot to a
standing position to set up his escape (c).

Coaching Point
Emphasize the significance of quickness and hand control when standing up.
Stress that the defensive wrestler keep his back perpendicular to the mat prior
to standing up.

16

17

10

FINISHING THE STAND-UP, CUT-AWAY

Setup
W2 assumes the defensive referees position. W1 then leans his back against
W2s side in a crouching position (a).

Action
On the coachs signal, W1 raises his right arm and leg to set up his cut-away (b).
Finally, W1 turns to his left and pushes away, facing W2 (c). The drill is repeated,
using the left arm and leg before the wrestlers reverse drill positions.

Coaching Point
Stress the importance of the quick push-away when securing the escape
maneuver.

18

19

11

SWITCHRESWITCH

Setup
W1 starts on the bottom in the referees position. W2 is in the conventional
offensive referees position.

Action
W1 starts the drill by crossing his inside hand over the outside hand (a). He
then sits through and reaches back for inside W2s near leg. At this point, W2
keeps his hand inside W1s leg (b). While W1 comes around and behind, W2
reswitches (c-d).

20

Coaching Point
The drill should last approximately 10 to 15 seconds. Emphasize leg control
for both wrestlers when switching and reswitching. Note: Beginners have a
tendency to reach over their opponents backs when switching.

21

12

UPPER-SHOULDER ROLL DRILL

Setup
This is a solitary drill in which each wrestler starts with his head and knees
on the mat and hands on his hips.

Action
In this position, each wrestler rolls on his upper shoulders and elbows one
direction, pushing off his toes (a), and then changes direction on the sound of
the whistle (b). This solitary drill can last 15 to 30 seconds.

Coaching Point
The purpose of this drill is to teach the wrestlers to roll on the top of their
shoulders rather than the middle of the back, which is a bad habit that must
be stopped. The drill also prepares wrestlers for the Granby-roll series.

22

CHAPTER 1

Essential Movement Drills

23

Movement Drills in Offensive Position


The primary goal in the offensive position is to score a fall. This cannot be
accomplished if a wrestler is weak in the ability to ride his opponent. Movement drills in the offensive position can aid the wrestler in perfecting riding
and pinning skills.

13

SCRAMBLING

Setup
The coach places W1 in any unusual position pressing against W2 and facing
away from W2.

Action
On the whistle, W2 can move in any direction. It is the responsibility of W1
to quickly adjust his body to be in proper riding position. In doing so, W1
should first attack W2s lower-back area prior to securing a proper ride of his
choosing.

Coaching Point
This drill prepares the offensive wrestler to react to the unexpected at any
time during the match. You can vary the drill by telling the offensive wrestler
he cannot grab the ankle, ride the legs, or use a tight waist. This is a unique
approach to entice the offensive wrestler to initiate alternative breakdowns.

14

FOLLOWING THE HIPS

Setup
W2 is in the bottom referees position with W1 on top on his feet behind W2
and his hands on W2s hips.

Action
On the whistle, W2 continuously sits out and turns in or moves forward. W1s
responsibility is to keep a firm hold on the hips while maneuvering on his feet
and staying behind W2.

Coaching Point
The purpose of this drill is to teach the wrestlers to ride behind an opponent by
not riding too high, staying on the opponents hips. A variation of this drill is
to have the offensive wrestler place his chest on the defensive wrestlers lower
back with his hands on the defensive wrestlers hips. They then perform the
same drill movements. The offensive wrestlers goal is to keep his chest on the
defensive wrestlers lower back.

24

15

LIFT AND RETURN

Setup
The wrestlers are standing, with W1 in control behind W2 with his hands
locked together in the clap position, left hand over right hand (a).

Action
W1 steps to the side, bending his knees to a squat position (b). Next, W1 lifts
W2 off the mat, bringing his right knee up (c). This turns W2 parallel to the
mat. As W2 is returned to the mat, landing on his side, W1 simultaneously
drops to both knees and unlocks his hands.

Coaching Point
This breakdown drill teaches wrestlers to correctly
and safely return the opponent to the mat from the
standing position.

25

16

SPIRAL RIDE TO NAVY EXPOSURE

Setup
The wrestlers start in the spiral ride position (a).

Action
W1, rotating counterclockwise, pulls W2 to his near hip and quickly slides
his right arm over W2s top leg and under W2s bottom leg. W1 also has his
right arm bent with his elbow touching the mat (b). At this point, W2s legs are
lifted by W1, who rests his elbow on his lap as he steps up (c). W1 completes
the drill by stacking W2 on his back by driving him forward (d).

26

Coaching Point
This drill teaches the wrestlers to move from the spiral ride position to a pinning situation as quickly as possible. Point out the importance of the offensive
wrestler keeping his head in front of the defensive wrestler when the Navy
is secured.

27

17

SPIRAL RIDE TO HOOK AND PIN

Setup
The wrestlers start in the spiral ride position (a).

Action
W1 pulls W2 to his near hip while hooking his top arm (b). He then starts
pulling W2 to his back. W1 finishes the drill by overhooking W2s head and
pressing his shoulders to the mat (c).

Coaching Point
This drill teaches the wrestlers to move from the spiral ride position to another
pinning situation. Far too often wrestlers do not follow through with successful
ride techniques and risk being warned or penalized for stalling.

28

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The Wrestling Drill Book

Conclusion
Essential movements, or what some call the basics, are so important in preparing athletes to deal with the rigors of wrestling. The preceding drills are
just the beginning of a journey toward developing championship wrestlers,
which will involve even more and more drill work on the mats. As the coach,
you must continue to stress to your athletes the significance of repeatedly
practicing moves. Essential movement drills are necessary for perfecting all
wrestling maneuvers.
Wrestling is a very complex sport. There are a number of areas that must be
taught by the coach and learned by the wrestlers. Failing to do so will lead to
a less than successful wrestling program.
Essential movement drills are stepping stones that prepare the wrestler to
properly perform takedown, escape and reversal, riding, and pinning combination drills. Think of the essential movement drills as prerequisites to the
many success-oriented drills you will be exposed to in the remaining chapters
of this book.

chapter 2

Takedown Drills
Dave LaMotte

If you want a place in the sun,


youve got to put up with a few blisters.
Abigail Van Buren

31

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The Wrestling Drill Book

The objective in wrestling is to score a fall. When wrestlers are aggressively


pursuing the fall, it makes the action in the match a lot more exciting for the
fans. However, the more accomplished and experienced the wrestlers are, the
more difficult it becomes to secure a fall. This is why the perfection of takedown
skills in wrestling is the first step toward becoming a champion wrestler.
No student of the mat sport would disagree with the premise that takedowns
are the name of the game in wrestling. In fact, it has been statistically proven
that the wrestler who scores the first takedown usually wins the match (about
85 percent of the time).
Thus, the beginning of your season (after a proper conditioning period)
should be devoted primarily to takedown instruction. It has always been my
contention that 70 percent of drill work before the competitive phase of the
program should concentrate on takedowns. By midseason, wrestlers should
spend about 50 percent of their practice time on their feet.
The components of takedown wrestling often take more time to cultivate
than mat wrestling. To have success in this area, a basic philosophy of attacking and counterattacking must be developed and followed. A good takedown
wrestler must be able to move his feet gracefully while constantly maintaining
a good base (or center of gravity) and to step in and penetrate his opponents
defenses.
At the same time, the wrestler must know instinctively how to finish the attack and be prepared to defend all types of attacks executed by his opponent.
Thus, the drills in this chapter focus on controlling and clearing the tie-up
position for offensive takedown attacks and basic defensive counterattacks
and strategies.

Takedown Drills
These drills are for close-contact wrestling and are designed to teach reaction
maneuvers when the opponent puts hands on or moves out of position. The
wrestler performing the drill should always start with his head up, hips (center
of gravity) down, elbows in, and knees bent. In every drill, each wrestler takes
turns being the drill partner.

18

SINGLE-LEG TO DOUBLE-LEG ATTACK DRILL

Setup
W1 shoots a single-leg when W2 reaches for W1 (a-b).

Action
W2s responsibility is to sprawl back so that W1 must switch from a single-leg
to double before driving W2 to the mat (c). W1 must change to a double as
quickly as possible.

Coaching Point
The emphasis of these drills is to promote the importance of lowering the hips
and penetrating the opponents defense. The wrestlers must learn to react to
the opponents change of stance by changing attack from single-leg to doubleleg immediately.

(continued)
33

18

SINGLE-LEG TO DOUBLE-LEG ATTACK DRILL (continued)

34

19

DOUBLE-LEG ATTACK DRILL

Setup
W1 starts with a double-leg position on W2 as he reaches for W1 (a).

Action
As W2 sprawls back, W1 lifts W2s right leg up as he drives his head into W2s
side (b). W1 continues driving his head into W2s side. At the same time, W1
blocks W2s left leg with his right arm. W1 finishes the double takedown by
lifting W2s leg higher while forcing W2s body to the side with his head and
driving W2 to the mat (c).

Coaching Point
Emphasize the importance of the offensive wrestler lifting the defensive
wrestlers leg as high as possible while using his head to assist in driving
the defensive wrestler to the side before taking him to the mat. The offensive
wrestler cannot hesitate when executing this highly effective takedown.

(continued)
35

19

DOUBLE-LEG ATTACK DRILL (continued)

36

20

DOUBLE-LEG TO SINGLE-LEG DRILL

Setup
W1 starts with a double-leg on W2 (a).

Action
W1 loses control of W2s right leg as W2 sprawls his leg away. W1 then attacks
W2s left leg with his right arm while grasping his right wrist with his left
hand (b). In this position, W1 can either turn the corner and drive through
W2, capturing his far knee, or W1 can quickly stand up, controlling W2s leg,
before performing the single-leg takedown.

Coaching Point
The importance of this situation drill is to teach adjusting position from the
double-leg, changing to a single-leg attack. Keep the wrestlers aware of this
point so they learn to change tactics when appropriate.

(continued)
37

20

DOUBLE-LEG TO SINGLE-LEG DRILL (continued)

38

21

LIFTING DRILL

Setup
W1 positions his right ear on the back of W2s spine. His left arm goes deep
through the back of W2s crotch while his right hand grips under the left arm
toward the back (a).

Action
W1 then squats in good position and explodes up to lift W2 off the mat (b). W1
repeats the drill several times on both sides of the partners body.

Coaching Point
This drill teaches the proper technique for lifting an opponent off the mat. You
must always stress this point.

39

22

THE DOUBLE-LEG TRIP DRILL

Setup
W2 reaches for W1 in the neutral position (a).

Action
W1 deeply penetrates W2s defenses, hooking W2s right leg with his left leg
while shooting the double-leg takedown (b). As they drop to the mat, W1
quickly releases his arms around W2s legs as he prepares to adjust to a ride
or pinning combination (c).

Coaching Point
The wrestlers must be taught not to allow their upper body to trail their trip
leg or they will be placed in an off-balance position. Emphasis should also be
on whipping their trip leg back as they shoulder drive through their opponents
for the double-leg takedown.

40

41

23

DOUBLE-LEG DRIVE-THROUGH
WHEN OPPONENT REACHES

Setup
W1 is in proper attack position when W2 reaches or rises up out of proper
neutral position for defending a takedown (a).

Action
W1 quickly lowers his center of gravity and penetrates into W2s hips, grasping behind his knees (b). W1 finishes the drill by driving through W2, bringing
him to the mat (c).

Coaching Point
The wrestlers must learn to react quickly for the takedown when an opponent
places himself out of proper position and reaches in the neutral position.

42

43

24

INSIDE ARM-DRAG
TO DOUBLE-LEG DRIVE-THROUGH DRILL

Setup
W2 grabs W1s wrist on the trail-leg side (a).

Action
W1 rotates his wrist inward and downward across his body. He also grabs
above W2s elbow, completing the arm-drag and stepping into the double-leg
drive-through position (b-c).

Coaching Point
The wrestlers must understand the need to tightly control the opponents arm
above the elbow when committing to the inside arm-drag while shooting the
double-leg.

44

45

25

OUTSIDE ARM-DRAG
TO DOUBLE-LEG DRIVE-THROUGH

Setup
W2 makes contact by using a collar tie-up on W1s trail-leg side.

Action
W1 then controls the collar tie-up elbow and his other hand grasps W2s far
wrist (a). W1 then steps back, rolling W2s elbow and wrist off his head. At the
same time, W1 drags W2s arm across and between both of their bodies toward
W2s far knee (b). W1 shoots through W2 for the double-leg takedown (c-d).

46

Coaching Point
Always emphasize the importance of arm control for scoring an arm-drag
takedown.

47

26

ELBOW PULL AND INSIDE SINGLE-LEG


TO DOUBLE-LEG DRIVE-THROUGH

Setup
W2 controls the collar and attempts to snap down W1 (a).

Action
W1 then lifts W2s elbow over his shoulder, shooting an inside single-leg (b). As
W2 sprawls, W1 switches off to a double-leg drive-through takedown (c-d).

48

Coaching Point
As always, emphasize the importance of penetrating or driving through an
opponent to score the double-leg takedown.

49

27 ELBOW BLOCK TO DOUBLE-LEG DRIVE-THROUGH


Setup
W2 places his hand on W1s shoulder (a).

Action
W1 goes into motion, driving off his trail leg. W1 uses the elbow-block technique
with his thumb inside of W2s elbow when he pops W2s elbow up (b). At the
same time, W1 lowers his level (center of gravity), makes the step between
W2s feet, and executes the double-leg (c).

Coaching Point
This drill continues to promote the importance of changing hip position (lowering the center of gravity) in order to penetrate an opponent for the takedown.
It also stresses the point of taking advantage of an opponents mistake with
quick-reaction skills.

50

51

28

ELBOW HEAD PULL TO SINGLE-LEG

Setup
W2 is in the collar-tie position.

Action
W1 controls the elbow of W2s collar-tie arm and pulls the elbow from his
shoulder while grabbing his opposite wrist (a). W1 then lowers his center of
gravity, wrapping his arms around W2s leg on the side in which W2 had the
collar tie (b). He then controls the leg by lifting it high and driving W2 backward to the mat (c-d).

52

Coaching Point
Wrist control and lowering the center of gravity (hips) are essential factors in
executing this drill.

53

29

SHRUG

Setup
W2 uses a collar tie on W1s lead-leg side, while W1 controls W2s opposite
wrist (a).

Action
W1 shrugs his shoulder and drives W2s head down while grabbing his collartie wrist to force it off his neck (b). At the same time, W1 drives W2s head
down to the mat for the takedown (c-d).

54

Coaching Point
Wrist control and shoulder shrug quickness must be stressed during this
drill.

55

30

FIREMANS CARRY DRILL

Setup
W2 underhooks W1 on his lead-leg side (a).

Action
W1 immediately forces the underhook elbow inward. As W2 pushes his
elbow out, W1 lowers his center of gravity and shoots between the legs on his
knees, wrapping his free arm around W2s leg on the side where W2 had the

56

underhook (b). Tilting his shoulders away from W2s leg, W1 then whips W2
to the mat, driving his free arm through the air in the same direction for the
takedown (c-d).

Coaching Point
It is very important that wrestlers control the opponents underhook arm,
tightly grabbing it above the elbow, when performing the Firemans Carry.

57

31

OPPOSITE-LEG FIREMANS CARRY DRILL

Setup
This takedown drill is a combination of the Firemans Carry and Elbow Head
Pull to Single-Leg (pages 52-53) Drills.

Action
W1 controls W2s underhook in the same manner as in the Firemans Carry
Drill while grabbing the far wrist (a). Stepping to the outside of the opposite
leg as in a single-leg attack, W1 pulls W2s arm across his body and sweeps
in for a single-leg on the opposite side around the knee (b). Controlling the
underhook arm and driving it down, W1 sits through with the leg that is on
W2s underhook side to finish the takedown (c).

Coaching Point
As with the Firemans Carry Drill, emphasize a tight grip above the opponents
underhook elbow.

58

59

32

SINGLE-LEG ATTACK FROM


OPPONENTS UNDERHOOK DRILL

Setup
W2 secures an underhook tie-up on the side of W1s lead leg (a).

Action
Pummeling the underhook arm and popping it up, W1 lowers his center of
gravity while sweeping his arm around W2s lead leg, picking it up and bringing W2 to the mat (b-c).

Coaching Point
Highlight the significance of quickly lowering the center of gravity (hips) as
the wrestlers single-leg sweep their partners during the drill.

60

61

33

SIDE HEADLOCK DRILL

Setup
This drill starts in a situation where W2 is able to elevate W1s elbow with his
underhook (a).

Action
As W2 elevates W1s elbow, W1 steps between W2s legs and then headlocks
and hips his partner to the mat, controlling W2s far arm above the elbow
(b-c).

Coaching Point
This drill should be taught as a desperation move for a situation in which a
match is nearing the end and the wrestler is behind by three or more points.
Wrestlers must have a few strategies for this type of situation.

62

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The Wrestling Drill Book

Takedown Counter Drills


The premise for takedown counter drills is to stop your opponents initial attack
and then create a counterattack in which you score. This is best accomplished
by keeping in good position with a proper center-of-gravity (hip) location. In
other words, do not allow your opponent to feel comfortable in the neutral
position when he attempts takedown maneuvers.
Keep in mind that the fundamentals must be taught first, including conventional sprawling drills, proper crossface techniques and hip positioning drills,
and whizzer-hip counter drills to double-leg attacks. Also, review all single-leg
counter maneuvers when the attack wrestler has control of the leg on or off the
mat. Wrestlers must master these grassroots drills before they learn the more
advanced takedown counter drills.
The following drill sequence is set up to demonstrate the first line of defense
drills, using the hands to prevent your opponent from penetrating to the legs.
The second line of defense drills will illustrate techniques used when the opponent is able to penetrate to the legs or body by maneuvering through the
first line of defense.

34

SNAP-DOWN REDIRECT DRILL

Setup
This drill is incorporated when the takedown wrestler is able to work his head
under his opponent in the process of attacking the legs. W1 controls W2s
head with a collar tie with his right arm, establishing wrist control with his
left hand and arm (a).

Action
As W2 begins his attempt to penetrate W1, W1 snaps his head and elbows to
the mat while sprawling back (b). Pressing his chest on W2s back, W1 drives
W2s head to the mat, blocking W2s right arm (c). Finally, W1 spins around
W2 for the takedown.

Coaching Point
When the wrestlers sprawl, stress the importance of sprawling on the toes and
placing pressure on the opponents back before spinning around.

65

35

SNAP-DOWN TO SHUCK DRILL

Setup
This drill is a replica of the Snap-Down Redirect Drill, except for the reaction
by W1. From the collar tie, as W2 attempts to shoot a double-leg, W1 snaps
his partners head down (a).

Action
W1 shucks W2s head to the side, driving his collar-tie elbow across the chin,
creating an angle to spin behind W2 and score the defensive takedown (b-d).

66

Coaching Point
Emphasize that the wrestlers must use a quick whipping motion during the
shuck before spinning behind.

67

36

FRONT HEADLOCK TO BUTT-DRAG DRILL

Setup
This counter drill is used when W2 attempts a double-leg from the open position stance (a).

Action
W1 reacts by sprawling back, locking his arms around W2s head and shoulder,
and lowering his hips (b). As W2 is forced to the mat, W1 (with his head under
W2s chest) then wraps his arm around W2s leg while circling to his left and
forcing W2s head in the same direction (c). At the same time, W1 drives into W2
with his head, forcing W2 off his base and scoring the countertakedown (d).

68

Coaching Point
This drill must be performed with proper and assertive circular motion, forcing the opponents head in the same direction.

69

37

FRONT HEADLOCK TO SHUCK DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers are in the same headlock position as the previous drill.

Action
W1 forces W2s head toward the mat (a). As W2 begins to push his head up,
W1 shucks, whipping W2s head away from him (b). This allows W1 to attack
W2s side for the countertakedown (c).

Coaching Point
The emphasis in this drill is the importance of proper head pressure before
shucking the opponents head away and attacking the side for the takedown.

70

71

38 FRONT HEADLOCK TO CROSS-ANKLE CRADLE DRILL


Setup
W1 starts from the front headlock counter position.

Action
W1 stays on his toes and forces W2s head to the mat (a). After driving W2s
head to the mat, W1 reaches for the cross ankle with his left hand, pulling it
toward W2s head (b). W1 finishes the move by thrusting into W2 and quickly
executing an inside-leg cradle (c).

Coaching Point
Emphasize the importance of placing pressure on the opponents ankle when
grabbing the cross ankle so he cannot move it when initiating the drill.

72

73

39

DOUBLE-LEG REACTION COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers are in the open stance position.

Action
W2 attempts a double-leg and is blocked by W1 (a). As W2 adjusts by attempting to regain his original takedown position, W1 immediately reacts with a
counterattack double-leg takedown (b-c).

Coaching Point
Stress the significance of not only countering but quickly attacking offensively,
not being satisfied with just blocking an attack. This is also an opportune time
to finish by driving an opponent to his back with a half nelson.

74

75

40

THE DOUBLE-LEG WHIZZER COUNTER DRILL

Setup
W2 shoots a double-leg takedown with W1 sprawling and overhooking the
near arm to initiate the whizzer (a).

Action
W1 initiates the whizzer and pops his hip into W2, driving W2s head toward
the mat (b). W1 finishes the counter by forcing W2s head to the mat with his
free hand while sprawling away and facing W2 (c).

Coaching Point
Two points must be stressed when applying the whizzer. First, the whizzer
must be driven with force so that the drill wrestlers shoulder is above the drill
partners shoulder. Second, when popping the near hip into the drill partner
to break the double-leg grip, the drill wrestler should not prolong the pressure
on the drill partners body because the drill partner could roll through and
score the takedown. In other words, pop the hip and quickly release to break
the double-leg grip.

76

77

41

HIP-HEIST SINGLE-LEG COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The purpose of this drill is to teach the wrestlers how to get off their hips when
an opponent is close to securing a single takedown. Start the drill with W2
controlling one leg with his head to the outside of W1.

Action
In this position, W1 lifts his outside hip and grabs W2s near-side buttock (a).
Next, W1 hip-heists his inside leg through while pulling W2s body forward
with the buttock hand and posting his free arm on the mat for the counterscore (b-c).

Coaching Point
A great prerequisite activity for this counter drill is the Hip-Heist Drill,
explained in more detail as a solitary drill in chapter 6 (pages 219-220). It promotes proper technique in executing the hip heist.

78

79

42

SINGLE-LEG COUNTER DRILL

Setup
This drill starts with W2 executing a single-leg, lifting it off the mat (a).

Action
From this position, W1 must force his head inside, grab W2s outside wrist,
and secure a whizzer with his inside arm (b). W1 must then work his captured
leg to the outside and sprawl it back while driving the whizzer forward and
popping his hips into W2 (c). W1 can finish the maneuver by forcing W2 to
the mat and spinning behind him for the countertakedown.

Coaching Point
The wrestlers must learn to whizzer with pressure while sprawling and forcing
the hips into the opponent to succeed in the countertakedown.

80

81

43

THE SINGLE-LEG SPLADDLE COUNTER DRILL

Setup
W2 shoots a single-leg takedown with his head inside and on both his
knees (a).

Action
W1 reacts by pressuring W2s head and back to the mat, stepping his lead
foot inside W2s calf, and locking his hands around W2s outside leg (b). W1
finishes the counter by dropping to his inside hip and forcing W2s back to the
mat for the takedown, near-fall points, and possibly a fall (c).

Coaching Point
It is very important that the drill wrestler keep his weight on his lead leg. The
drill wrestler must also keep his body pressure on the drill partner so he cannot
come to his feet. This weight pressure will also force the drill partner into a ball
position, with his head in front of his legs in preparation for the spladdle. After
mastering the spladdle, the wrestlers realize the importance of immediately
standing up when executing a single-leg to avoid being spladdled.

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The Wrestling Drill Book

Conclusion
Developing and using a proper system of takedown drills is the most essential
element in becoming a successful takedown artist. The more a skill is repeated
correctly, the more firmly it becomes established as an automatic move that is
very effective against an opponent.
During competition, action occurs too quickly for the wrestler to stop and
think about what to do or how to do it. In wrestling, he who hesitates loses.
For this very reason, the wrestler must be willing to invest hours upon hours
performing takedown and takedown counter drills.
The bottom line is that to be successful, wrestlers must have the desire to
be number one. And that desire to be the best can be fulfilled only with a
willingness to drill until a move becomes second nature. That is the premise
of this book.
The next three chapters focus on the second phase of the sportmat or
ground wrestling. Starting with chapter 3, you will be introduced to drill tactics
in the areas of escapes and reversals, as well as their counters. This is an important area of wrestling that in recent years has been lacking in emphasis;
dont allow your wrestlers to overlook it.

chapter 3

Escape and
Reversal Drills
Pat Pecora

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.


My strength lies solely on my tenacity.
Louis Pasteur

85

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The Wrestling Drill Book

With so much emphasis on takedown strategies in recent decades, escape and


reversal skills have been given positions of less significance during practice.
This contemporary practice has had its negative effects. To the astute observer
of mat wrestling, todays wrestlers do not demonstrate the flow of movement
in the defensive position needed to assure success.
Today, wrestlers attempt one or two escape or reversal moves in competition,
then, if the maneuvers fail, the wrestler stops, and his opponent commences
to control him. One vivid example of this problem is the 30-second tiebreaker
and how it has changed over the last few years. At the outset, the wrestler
who chose the bottom position was very confident of escaping with a quick
stand-up. That approach has been compromised.
It is time to again place more importance on the escape-and-reversal defense
during the entire match. Wrestlers must be exposed to more drill instruction
to improve this area of weakness, and this can be accomplished only on the
practice mats.
The following drills are designed to help develop wrestlers skills in the defensive position. Likewise, you will be exposed to escape and reversal counter
drills in the offensive position.

Escape and Reversal Drills


In this section, the drills emphasize the significance of inside control as an important factor for experiencing success in the defensive position. The wrestlers
are also taught that a proper base must be established to escape or reverse
their opponents.
In coaching wrestling for nearly three decades, I have determined that inside
control is the first essential principle in escapes and reversals. Inside control is
often mistaken for hand control, which is a different term. Inside control involves
controlling the inside of your body, not just your opponents hands.

44

INSIDE CONTROL IN THE STANDING POSITION

Setup
The drill begins in a standing position with W2 behind W1.

Action
It is important to be in good position, with W1s head up, back straight, buttocks down, elbows in, and knees bent. During inside control drills, the most
important body parts for W1 range from the inside of the elbow up to the
armpit. W1 gains inside control of the body by keeping the elbows firmly
against his body to stop W2 from getting inside (a). (If W2 does get inside, W1
should use a windshield-wiper motion with the arms to regain inside control.)
Having gained inside control with the arms, W1 then works on controlling
W2s hand or hands (b). At this point, W1 cuts and escapes (c).

(continued)
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44

INSIDE CONTROL IN THE STANDING POSITION (continued)

Coaching Point
The offensive wrestlers goal is to try to lock his hands around the defensive
wrestlers waist or gain wrist control on the defensive wrestler. The defensive
wrestlers goal is to get inside control before the offensive wrestler does. If the
offensive wrestler gets inside control, start the drill over. With practice, the
defensive wrestler should be able to perform this drill with his eyes closed,
feeling where the offensive wrestler is at all times. The defensive wrestler must
never reach with the hands to get control. This action causes the defensive
wrestlers elbows to come out from his body, allowing the offensive wrestler
to get inside.

88

45

INSIDE CONTROL DRILL FROM THE KNEES

Setup
W1 begins this drill on one knee with W2 behind him.

Action
Again, W1 uses tight inside
control and keeps his back
perpendicular to the mat (a).
This drill has the same principles as the previous drill,
but in this drill W2 is not
allowed to lock his hands
in this position. With inside
control, W1 then acquires
hand control, finishing by
pivoting his knee and cutting through for the escape
(b-c).

b
(continued)
89

45

INSIDE CONTROL DRILL FROM THE KNEES (continued)

Coaching Point
It is important that the defensive wrestler not ball up as he is standing so the
offensive wrestler cannot cradle him in a real match situation.

46

INSIDE CONTROL ADVANCED DRILLS

Setup
As the year progresses, W1 can add other maneuvers to the inside control
drills after escaping.

Action
For example, upon escaping, W1 snaps W2 down and spins behind W2, or
W1 shoots a double-leg takedown (coachs choice) on W2. That completed,
the practice partner would then do the same.

Coaching Point
When an escape has occurred, often the opponent momentarily relaxes. A quick
takedown maneuver after an escape is often very effective.

90

47

HEAVY DRILLS
WHEN OPPONENT HAS INSIDE CONTROL

Setup
W2 has inside control (hands locked) in the standing position behind W1.

Action
When W2 gains inside control in the standing position, there are two techniques
for W1 to make his body heavy, stopping W2 from bringing W1 to the mat.
The first technique involves W1 pushing W2s leg away from his body while
W1 forces his own hips away (a). The second technique is taught when W2 is
up tight against W1s body. If W2s hips are close to W1s hips, W1 locks one
of his legs on the outside of W2s leg (b).

Coaching Point
Stress that these drills eliminate the offensive wrestlers ability to lift his opponent off the mat. They are easy to teach and very effective for stopping the
offensive wrestler from bringing the defensive
wrestler to the mat.

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48

LAND LIKE A CAT

Setup
W1 is lifted off the mat with W2 behind him. W2 prepares to drive W1 to the
mat to W1s side.

Action
If W1 is lifted off the mat, he must land like a cat (on hands and knees) in the
proper defensive referees position base. W1 follows up with a forward-moving
cat crawl to a switch or stand-up.

Coaching Point
The wrestlers need to know how important it is to quickly crawl out for the
switch or stand-up before the opponent has time to adjust.

92

49

THE WHIZZER ESCAPE DRILL

Setup
W1 is in the standing position with W2 behind and hand locked around W1s
waist.

Action
W1 twists around while grasping W2s hands, repositioning them on his outside hip (a). At this point, W1 whips his inside arm around W2s shoulder,
executing the whizzer and tripping W2s inside leg backward (b). W1 finishes
the maneuver by pushing W2s head away with his free hand, thus facing W2
for the escape (c).

Coaching Point
Emphasize that the whizzer be driven with force to break the offensive
wrestlers locked hands around the defensive wrestlers waist. This must
immediately be followed by a quick head push away to successfully secure
the escape. It is also important not to relax at this point because the offensive
wrestler will have the opportunity for a second-effort takedown.

b
(continued)
93

49

THE WHIZZER ESCAPE DRILL (continued)

94

50

SCHICKEL SWITCH

Setup
W1 is in the standing position with W2 behind and hands clamped.

Action
In this position, W1 slaps W2s leg on one side, faking a switch, and then
executing a switch on the other side (a-b).

Coaching Point
A variation of this maneuver is the suicide switch. Again, the defensive wrestler
fakes a slap to one side (or both sides) of the offensive wrestler. Then the defensive wrestler drops his head toward the mat. Before the defensive wrestlers
head touches the mat, he hits a hard switch. It is a very effective alternative.

95

51

STANDING PETERSON ROLL

Setup
W2 is behind W1 with hands locked in the standing position.

Action
In this position, W1 steps behind one of W2s legs with the arm closest to W2s
body around the knee and the other arm controlling W2s opposite wrist (a). At
this point, W1 falls back and trips W2 as W1 hits a Peterson roll, grasping W2s
wrist with both hands (b).

Coaching Point
With the standing Peterson
roll, the wrestlers must have
a firm foundation of proper
shoulder position and wrist
control before performing
this drill.

96

CHAPTER 3

Escape and Reversal Drills

97

Maintaining a Good Base


Maintaining a good base is the second essential principle for escapes and
reversals. The key is staying in good position, with your head up, buttocks
down, knees bent, and elbows in. A good base on the mat in the down position
also requires your knees wide, back arched, and elbows at knee width. This
principle cannot be overemphasized. I often tell my athletes, If you get out
of good position, the sin is not being there; its staying there!

52

BASE-BUILDING DRILL

Setup
After W1 establishes a good base, W2 positions himself on top of W1 in the
referees position.

Action
On the whistle, W2 attempts to break W1 down to the mat as W1 struggles to
maintain a good base. W2 should be very physical. The drill should last 15 to
30 seconds.

Coaching Point
Stress to the defensive wrestler the significance of lowering his center of gravity
(or hips) when this drill is performed.

53

BELLY-TO-BASE DRILL

Setup
W1 starts on his belly with his elbows in and palms on the mat shoulder-width
apart. W2 is sitting or lying on top of W1 with all his weight.

Action
On the whistle, W1 quickly pushes up with both hands to the good base position previously described.

Coaching Point
If the defensive wrestler can perfect this skill, the offensive wrestler will not be
afforded the opportunity to shoot a half nelson on one side or the other when
the defensive wrestler is on the mat.

98

54

SKATING DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
When W2 chops W1s near arm down, W1 dips down only to his elbow. W1
then skates forward with his knee to bring himself back to a good base, pulling with his arms as well.

Coaching Point
Encourage your wrestlers not to be driven to their bellies, which offers opponents the opportunity to take them to their backs.

99

55

SWITCH DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position (a).

Action
On the whistle, W1 hits a switch, landing on his outside buttock and driving
his right hand between W2s legs and spinning (hip-heisting) behind W2 for
the reversal (b). Next, W2 (becoming W1) performs the switch on the whistle.
This continuous (reversing roles) whistle drill lasts 15 to 30 seconds.

Coaching Point
Again, first expose the wrestlers to the Hip-Heist Drill, as illustrated in chapter 6
on pages 219 and 220. Note that inexperienced wrestlers will tend to reach the
switch arm over the
top wrestler s back.
This bad habit must
be broken immediately.

100

56

SIT-OUT DRILL

Setup
This is a solitary drill in which each wrestler starts in the defensive referees
position, pretending that the offensive wrestler has mounted him on the left
side (a).

Action
On the whistle, the wrestler lifts his right knee while simultaneously sitting
his left leg in front of him (b).

Coaching Point
It is important that the wrestler not let his sit-out leg lag behind because his
opponent in a match will have the opportunity to control it and stop the sitout. The wrestler also must not lean too far back or forward, as is stressed in
the following push-and-pull drill.

101

57

PUSH-AND-PULL FROM SIT-OUT

Setup
After W1 sits out, W2 double-underhooks W1.

Action
At this point, W2 pushes and pulls W1 forward and backward. W1s mission
is to scoot forward and backward on his heels, buttocks, and hands in order
to keep his upper body perpendicular to the mat.

Coaching Point
This is an outstanding drill for the defensive wrestler to perfect in order to
avoid being cradled or snapped back to his shoulders.

102

58

GRANBY-ROLL SERIES

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
Granby Roll for a Reversal: In the referees position, W1 begins by posting his
left hand and grabbing W2s wrist with his right hand (a). Next, W1 raises his
hips (on his toes),
mak ing a T with
his feet and tucking
his chin against his
chest. W1 then rolls
across the tops of
his shoulders, holding W2s wrist and
spinning around
on top of W2 for the
reversal (b-c).

b
(continued)
103

58

GRANBY-ROLL SERIES (continued)

Granby Roll for an Escape: Performing the same motions for the reversal,
W1 rolls across the top of his shoulders, releasing W2s wrist and scoring the
escape (d).

Coaching Point
Emphasize the coaching point demonstrated in the Upper-Shoulder Roll Drill
in chapter 1 on page 22. Remember, your wrestlers must roll on their upper
shoulders and no lower.

104

CHAPTER 3

Escape and Reversal Drills

105

Escape and Reversal Counter Drills


This section is divided into two general escape and reversal counter areas.
Phase one stresses basic counter drills in the lifting and standing positions. In
phase two, counter drills on the mat are taught.

Basic Lifting and Standing Drills


Basic lifting and standing drills assist the wrestlers in developing standingposition strategies for taking an opponent to the mat, with or without having
hands locked.

59

LIFT AND SWEEP


Setup
The wrestlers start in the neutral position
with W1 behind W2 with hands locked.

Action
W1 lifts his partner in the air. With one
of his knees, W1 sweeps out W2s leg (a).
Then W1 brings W2 to the mat so that he
lands on his side (b).

Coaching Point
The offensive wrestler must make sure his
knee sweeps at the side of the defensive
wrestlers thigh. As always, stress good
hip positioning.

60

LAST-RESORT LEG TACKLE

Setup
W1 is standing behind W2, who has broken W1s hand lock and is about to
escape.

Action
As a last resort, W1 lowers his hip level and leg tackles W2 at knee level or
below.

Coaching Point
Lowering the hips and driving into the opponent with the shoulder are important in the successful execution of this drill.

106

CHAPTER 3

Escape and Reversal Drills

107

Mat Wrestling Counter Drills


The following drills demonstrate counters that offensive wrestlers can use when
down on the mat. They provide the wrestlers with an arsenal of escape-andreversal restraining maneuvers. Pay particular attention to hip location and
the offensive wrestlers center of gravity. Hip position is essential to controlling the defensive wrestler.

61

SWITCH HIGH-LEG COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers begin the drill in the referees position.

Action
On the whistle, W2 switches to one side (a). W1 lifts the leg to the side of
W2s switch (b). W2
switches as high as
possible and floats behind W2, who fails to
complete the switch.
W1 then assumes
the referees position
on the other side of
W2. W2 hits a switch
on the opposite side.
This switching from
side to side should
last 15 to 30 seconds.
a

Coaching Point
Stress quick reaction
and follow-through
by the offensive wrestler when he is lifting
his leg and maneuvering behind the defensive wrestler.
b

62

LIMP-ARM COUNTER TO SWITCH DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W2 performs a switch. At the same time, W1 limp-arms, whipping the arm out
in a circular motion (a). W1s palm should face up during the limp-arm reaction.
After W1 performs the limp-arm and as W2 falls back, W1 drives his chest to
W2s chest while simultaneously shooting a half nelson and crotch (b).

Coaching Point
The whipping action of the arm with the palm up is very important when
performing this drill. This maneuver is useful when the wrestler knows his
opponent usually hits a switch on the whistle.

108

63

SIT-OUT SINGLE UNDERHOOK


AND CHIN COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
When W2 sits out, W1 moves to the side and underhooks W2s near arm. At
the same time, W1 chins W2s near shoulder, grabbing W2s chin and forcing
W2s back to the mat (a-b).

Coaching Point
All action in this drill must be executed simultaneously. The wrestlers must
also be taught not to twist the chin to the side when taking an opponent to his
back so as to avoid being penalized for unnecessary roughness.

109

64

SIT-OUT CRADLE COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
After W2 sits out, W1 simply drives his chest forward into W2s back and
executes a cradle on either side (a-b). W1 then drives W2 to his back to complete the drill.

Coaching Point
Be sure that the offensive wrestler drives his
chest into the defensive
wrestlers back so the
defensive wrestler s
head is as close as possible to his knees before
performing the cradle.

110

65

GRANBY SPIN-AROUND COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
As W2 begins to execute the Granby roll, W1s right hand locks around W2s
upper right arm (a). W1 then spins around in the opposite direction of W2s
Granby roll, finishing behind W2 (b-c).

Coaching Point
Stress the importance of being prepared to counter a Granby roll and lock the
arm quickly to follow through by reversing direction. This drill will involve
a lot of practice to perfect.

(continued)
111

65

GRANBY SPIN-AROUND COUNTER DRILL (continued)

112

66

GRANBY HEAD-HAND POST ROLL


THROUGH COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
When W2 initiates the Granby roll, W1 posts his free hand and head on the mat
(a-b). W1 then shadows the Granby roll, landing on his knees behind W2 (c).

b
(continued)
113

66

GRANBY HEAD-HAND POST ROLL


THROUGH COUNTER DRILL (continued)

Coaching Point
Teach the wrestlers to roll through with their heads, landing on their knees,
before working on this Granby roll counter.

Conclusion
The preceding drills lay out the foundation for developing your athletes into
solid defensive and offensive wrestlers. Depending on the circumstances you
are faced with (scouting reports, minor injuries, and so on), you may need to
select those drills appropriate for the situation. Furthermore, you may find it
necessary to devise variations of the drills illustrated in this chapter to fit the
needs of your wrestlers.
As the year progresses, combine drills to promote flow of motion in the
defensive and offensive positions. A vivid example of this strategy is chain
wrestling, discussed in chapter 7 on pages 230 and 231.
The skilled wrestler must be prepared to act quickly in the defensive position, demonstrating the ability to change directions. This will keep the offensive wrestler guessing rather than anticipating his opponents next move.
Likewise, the offensive wrestler must be prepared to react to any unexpected
maneuver from the defensive wrestler. This can be accomplished only in a
wrestling program that stresses proper drill instruction.
In chapter 4 you will direct your attention to riding drills that, when properly performed, can lead to the objective of wrestlingthe fall.
114

chapter 4

Riding to Pinning
Combination Drills
Ed Peery

Not doing more than average is what keeps the average down.
William M. Winans

115

116

The Wrestling Drill Book

Riding is the ability to control the defensive wrestler while maneuvering for a
pinning combination. Controlling the hips is an essential ingredient for riding
the defensive wrestler effectively. If the defensive wrestlers hips are not controlled, escapes and reversals are often the result.
When the referees whistle initiates mat or ground wrestling, the offensive
wrestlers goal is to execute breakdowns that control the defensive wrestlers
hips. This is accomplished by positioning the defensive wrestlers hips as low
as possible.
Wrestling is a position-reflex (or reaction) activity. The wrestler must experience the feeling of the offensive position, in addition to learning offensive
skills and developing reflexes for various offensive positions. Therefore, realistic resistance by the defensive wrestler is necessary for proper development
of riding skills. Insist that the wrestlers take drilling activities very seriously.
Drilling, when done effectively, is at least as important as full-contact wrestling,
especially in the area of offensive wrestling.

Riding Drills
The offensive wrestler must destroy the defensive wrestlers base and eliminate his motion. To accomplish this goal, the wrestlers must be exposed to a
variety of breakdown techniques. The following drills will assist the wrestlers
in becoming successful riders.

67

OFFENSIVE WRESTLER WEIGHT


AND CHEST POSITION DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 stands on his toes and clasps his hands behind his back, then places his
chest on W2s upper back (a). W1 drives all his weight on W2 from each side,
attempting to break W2s body down to the mat (b). This drill should last for
30 seconds on each side.

Coaching Point
Emphasize keeping the offensive wrestlers weight and strength on the defensive wrestler. The defensive wrestler must not collapse or drop to his
elbows voluntarily. Furthermore, stress that the offensive wrestler should
drive down and into the defensive wrestler by using his legs while staying on
his feet with knees off
the mat. Finally, make
sure that the offensive
wrestler keeps his
hips higher than the
defensive wrestler
does. This drill is a
prerequisite and the
foundation for teaching the very important Spin Drill.

117

68

FORWARD TRIP DRILL

Setup
W1 is standing behind W2 with hands locked.

Action
W2 establishes a slightly forward center of gravity. At this point, W1 moves
his head to the side of the locked-hands grip on W2s body (a). W1 then steps
in front of W2s leg on the side of the locked hands and head (b). Next, W1
sweeps W2s ankle. Finally, W1 drives into W2 as he sweeps his foot back and
up, forcing W2 down to the mat (c).

Coaching Point
Ensure that your wrestlers assume a proper rear standing, locked-hands position. This drill takes advantage of the defensive wrestlers center of gravity
when he is leaning forward. Although some wrestlers will release the opponent
in anticipation of securing a takedown, stress the importance of keeping the
opponent under control.

118

119

69 TIGHT WAIST-TO-ARM BAR/HALF NELSON DRILL


Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 applies pressure on W2s near arm while using a tight waist, which drives
W2s arm and hips to the mat (a). At the conclusion of the breakdown, W1
applies an arm bar (b). At this point, W1 jumps to the opposite side, threading
the needle for a half nelson (c). Turning W2s back to the mat, W1 releases the
arm bar to place his arm in W2s crotch (d).

120

Coaching Point
The near-arm and waist breakdown is effective for three reasons. First, it is
simple to teach and execute in driving the defensive wrestler off his base.
Second, it is not a lot of motion for the offensive wrestler and stresses control,
driving the defensive wrestlers hips to the mat. And finally, the movement to
a half nelson and crotch-pinning combination is a logical finish to the drill.

121

70

HEAD-AND-ARM LEVER BREAKDOWN


TO HALF NELSON DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 slides the near arm down and grasps W2s wrist while driving his head
into W2s armpit (a). While driving W2 forward, W1 pulls W2s near wrist
backward and lifts it off the mat (b). When W2 is flattened on the mat, W1 can
work toward the half nelson pinning combination by lifting the head-and-arm
lever while forcing his head under W2s arm (c). Once W1s head is under W2s
arm at the shoulder, great pressure can be exerted on W2s shoulder for turning
him over. At this point, the half nelson maneuver can be applied on W2 (d).

122

Coaching Point
The head-and-arm lever breakdown demonstrates basic fundamentals used
for destroying the defensive wrestlers base. The result often is an aggressive
breakdown leading to an equally dominating pinning combination. The head
lever is particularly effective for beginners because it teaches a practical means
of using the head as a positive force for breaking the opponent down off his
base.

123

71

FAR-ARM NEAR-ANKLE BREAKDOWN


TO HALF NELSON DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 releases W2s near arm and reaches across W2, cupping W2s far arm
above the elbow (a). At the same time, W1 releases the waist lock to grasp W2s
near-leg ankle. W1 accomplishes this by driving his chest into W2 and forcing
him off his base to the mat (b). W1 then shoots the half nelson and crotch-pin
hold on W2. It is important that the half nelson is sunk deep so that W1 has
his elbow behind W2s neck (c).

Coaching Point
The Far-Arm Near-Ankle Breakdown to Half Nelson Drill demonstrates the
mechanics of destroying two opposing points of the defensive wrestlers base
and driving him to the mat. Some of your wrestlers may at first feel uncomfortable completely releasing an opponents arm and waist. Point out that their
chest pressure against the defensive wrestler will compensate for the momentary release. In fact, maintaining chest pressure at the whistle is important for
the offensive wrestler all the time.

124

125

72

CROSSFACE-CRADLE DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 initiates action by releasing W2s near elbow and driving the inside of the
forearm up and across W2s face. At the same time, W1 releases the waist lock
and grasps W2s far ankle (a). W1 must also drive the crossface to force W2s
head toward his outside ankle. W1 moves the hand, grasping the ankle quickly
to the back of W2s far knee (b). When W2s head is close to his knee, W1 locks
hands for the cradle (c). W1 then pulls W2 back into a pinning situation (d).

126

Coaching Point
It is important that the offensive wrestler exercise caution while bringing the
defensive wrestler to his back. If not, the defensive wrestler can potentially kick
through and end up on top in a similar situation. The point of emphasis is that
once the offensive wrestler locks hands the position becomes risky. Thus, the
offensive wrestler should not rush when forcing the defensive wrestler to his
back. Note: This maneuver is recommended for situations in which the pin is
essential for team points or getting back into the match.

127

73 NEAR-ARM/WAIST-TO-CROSSFACE CRADLE DRILL


Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 breaks W2 down to the mat (a). After breaking W2 down, W1 watches for
W2s reaction. If W2s head is low or on the mat, it isnt likely that he plans
a quick reaction, so W1 can release pressure on the tight waist and near arm.
From that point, W1 moves higher and forward in preparation for applying
the crossface (b). Then, once his legs and feet are positioned, W1 drives the
crossface across W2s face, forcing W2s head toward his outside knee (c). When
the hands are locked, W1 completes the maneuver as previously instructed in
the Crossface-Cradle Drill on pages 126 and 127 (d). Again, stress caution and
deliberation when W1 brings W2 to his back.

128

Coaching Point
Although the concluding aspect of this drill is the same as the Crossface-Cradle
Drill, keep emphasizing proper finishing skills. Never assume anything, including knowledge of drills formerly taught.

129

74

CROSSBODY RIDE DRILL

Setup
This drill starts with W1 in the back crab-ride position.

Action
First, W1 puts a leg in while blocking W2s elbow on the same side so W2
cannot block as the leg is being applied (a). Next, W1 adjusts his position above
and across W2s back. W1s outside arm reaches under W2s far arm. He locks
hands and forces W2s head down with the inside elbow (b). From here, W1
drives W2 to the mat and towad his back (c).

Coaching Point
With repetition, most wrestlers will learn this move without difficulty. Both
partners should cooperate by resisting the offensive wrestler as he forces the
defensive wrestler to the mat. The Crossbody Ride Drill is the first position that
should be taught for leg wrestling. The logical progression is to move from the
crossbody to the guillotine pinning combination that is discussed next.

130

131

75

GUILLOTINE DRILL

Setup
W1 is in the crossbody ride position with W2 on his hands and knees.

Action
Using both arms, W1 secures the trapped arm with inside grips (a). W1 raises
W2s arm in preparation for forcing the arm overhead (b). Once the arm is raised
overhead, W1 places the near arm around W2s neck while holding the arm
at the wrist (c). W1 then lies back into W2s arm, creating pressure that forces

132

W2s shoulders toward the mat. W1 creates additional pressure by wrapping


his arms around W2s head in tandem with arching his back (d).

Coaching Point
Emphasize the importance of the offensive wrestler keeping his hips tight and
high on the defensive wrestler. Allow the wrestlers to perform this drill many
times during practice.

133

76

JACOBS RIDE DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers begin the drill with W1 in the crossbody ride position (a).

Action
As W2 sits out with his free leg, W1 overhooks W2s near arm, placing his
palm on W2s back (b). Simultaneously, W1 hips into W2, driving his shoulder
into W2 and lifting his laced leg to the ceiling for further pressure on W2s
body (c).

Coaching Point
Jacobs Ride is an offspring of the Crossbody Ride Drill in which the defensive
wrestler sits out with his free leg. It is very important to stress proper hip and
shoulder pressure on the defensive wrestler. If not, the defensive wrestler
could react with a short arm-drag for the reversal. The success of this drill
depends on much repetition by all your wrestlers. A variation of the Jacobs
Ride Drill is the Cross Wrist to Turk Drill, which is illustrated in chapter 5 on
pages 171 and 172.

134

135

136

The Wrestling Drill Book

Riding Counter Drills


Wrestling is a sport of action and reaction. The defensive wrestler must be prepared to react without hesitation to the offensive wrestlers ride techniques.
This can be accomplished by the defensive wrestler perfecting the following
riding counter drills.

77

FREEING HANDS AND WRIST DRILL

Setup
The drill starts with W2 standing behind W1, holding one arm with a twohand grip on the wrist (a).

Action
W1 then maneuvers his free arm under W2s arm, grabbing W2s far hand (b).
Next, W1 pries up, placing pressure on W2s wrist. This forces W2 to release
the near-side grip on W1 (c). At this point, W1 extends the arm that W2 still

controls and turns it away from the body, freeing W2s grip on the arm (d).
Finally, W1 draws his elbows back to the inside position as quickly as possible
in preparation for an escape or reversal maneuver.

Coaching Point
While each wrestler takes turns performing this drill, emphasize the importance of the defensive wrestler not reaching across his body, which allows the
offensive wrestler to regain wrist control. After standing up, the defensive
wrestler must be concerned with keeping his hands and wrists free. There is
not much the defensive wrestler can do in the standing position if his hands
and wrists are controlled. In essence, the defensive wrestler must free his wrists
to free his hands.

137

78

GIZONI STANDING DRILL

Setup
W1 starts in the standing position with his elbows tight against the body and
W2 behind him. W2 will also have one arm around the waist and the other
hand on W1s biceps. Both wrestlers would have legs bent (a).

Action
The drill is initiated by W1 grabbing W2s hand, which is across W1s biceps
(b). Next, W1 raises his hand while driving his elbow back through W2s
armpit (c). Finally, W1 backs his hips underneath the lifted arm and finishes
in control (d).

138

Coaching Point
This drill is quick because once the defensive wrestler gains control, his drill
partner becomes the drill wrestler, performing the same drill. Continue the
drill until you want to end it. The goal is for the wrestlers to react to the situation without thinking.

139

79

GIZONI SITTING DRILL

Setup
The starting position for this drill places W1 in the sitting position. W2 has one
arm around the waist and the other hand on W1s biceps (a).

Action
W1 reaches across his body and grasps W2s wrist, freezing W2s hand on the
biceps (b). W1 places his head on the mat, performing a turn-in maneuver. At
the same time, the arm that W2 controlled raises up and under W2s armpit,
reversing W2 (c).

Coaching Point
The major advantage of this drill is the development of a reflex action with
minimum investment of effort. Like the previous drill, this drill is quick
because once the defensive wrestler gains control his drill partner becomes
the drill wrestler, performing the same drill. Continue the drill until you want
to end it.

140

141

80 HALF NELSON BRIDGING COUNTER SOLITARY DRILL


Setup
The wrestlers start this solitary bridge drill by lying on their backs (a).

Action
As they bridge on their necks, instruct the wrestlers to touch both ears and roll
up, touching their noses to the mat. While in the bridging position, teach the
wrestlers to perform upside-down push-ups. Finally, have the wrestlers bridge
as high as they can (b). In this position, they are to quickly drop down from
the bridge, forcing their hips away from an imaginary opponent. At the same
time, they are to thrust the fist and arm between the imaginary opponents
chest, recovering to the belly and then to a defensive referees position base
(c-d). They should practice forcing their hips to one side and then the other.

142

Coaching Point
This drill involves bridging, which is not typical in calisthenics. In fact, it is
foreign to the majority of other sports, but in wrestling it is a must. Sooner or
later all wrestlers are put to their backs. At this point, it is either bridge or get
pinned. Many of the younger wrestlers may lack the neck strength for this drill.
Allow them to use their hands as props while bridging. Also, you can teach
these wrestlers to prop their elbows on the mat to stay off their shoulders. Above
all, emphasize to the wrestlers the importance of getting off their backs.

143

81

HALF NELSON BRIDGING COUNTER


WITH PARTNER DRILL

Setup
This drill is performed the same as the Half Nelson Bridging Counter Solitary
Drill (pages 142-143), except now W2 is holding W1 down.

Action
W1 lies on his back and W2 secures a tight half nelson and crotch (a). On
the whistle, W1 hits a bridge, forcing his outside arm between his and W2s
chest (b). Next, W1 quickly drops his back to the mat, shooting his outside
arm inward while scissoring his inside leg away from W2 (c). The drill ends
with W1 regaining a defensive referees position base (d). This drill should be
repeated while thrusting the outside arm inside with the half nelson and the
inside arm outside with the reverse half nelson.

144

Coaching Point
You should first teach the drill with minimum resistance from the offensive
wrestler, gradually building up to full resistance. This drill should be a part of
the warm-up exercises in every practice during wrestling season. You can teach
many lessons about the sport of wrestling when teaching this drill. First, the
team concept is realized by not giving up a fall. Second, the individual concept
of being competitive is learned by not quitting when the wrestler is on his back.
Finally, the wrestlers learn to give their all and fight to the end.

145

82

HALF NELSON COUNTER


FROM THE REFEREES POSITION DRILL

Setup
This drill starts in the referees position.

Action
W2 shoots a half nelson from the knees. W1 quickly locks his arm above the
elbow of W2s half nelson arm (a). As soon as the arm is hooked, W1 hits a
near-side roll (b). W1 then springs across W2s chest. Important point: W1 must
spring over W2 with chest on chest (c). If W1 rolls his back over W2s chest,
W2 will just roll through and end up on top again.

Coaching Point
Use this drill during the first days of the wrestling season. Much is learned
about wrestling by learning to avoid the pin. It is difficult to stay off your back
but much harder to get off your back. Intense drills will assist in eliminating
this problem.

146

147

83

HEAD-BEHIND-ARM COUNTER DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
As W2 attempts the head-and-arm lever, W1 drops the near elbow to the mat.
At the same time, W1 points the near hand away to prevent W2 from tying up
the wrist. Without W2 gaining wrist control, the head-behind-arm maneuver
cannot be accomplished.

Coaching Point
This drill emphasizes that the defensive wrestler must avoid letting his wrists,
hands, and arms get tied up. The Base-Building Drill (chapter 3, page 98) and
the Skating Drill (chapter 3, page 99) are also helpful to achieve this.

148

84

FORWARD KNEE PINCH


CROSSBODY RIDE COUNTER DRILL

This drill and the next demonstrate how to counter the crossbody ride before
it is applied.

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
The first counter drill to the crossbody ride is the forward knee pinch. Knowing that W2 will attempt the crossbody ride, W1 quickly moves the near knee
forward, pinching the far leg.

Coaching Point
As in the cradle, the best defense for the crossbody ride is not allowing the top
man to secure it. Furthermore, the scouting report will let the wrestler know
in advance that his opponent uses the crossbody ride.

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85 ARM BLOCK CROSSBODY RIDE COUNTER DRILL


The second crossbody ride counter drill is the arm block. Not only does this
counter block the crossbody ride, but it also affords W1 the opportunity to
reverse W2.

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 pinches the near arm against his near leg as W2 attempts to apply the
crossbody ride (a). Next, W1 curls his arm around W2s leg as W2 attempts
the crossbody ride (b). Finally, W1 pulls W2s leg over his shoulder and head,
coming out the back door and securing a reversal (c-d).

150

Coaching Point
Practice partners should repeat these drills many times throughout the season
because the crossbody ride is a popular maneuver. By perfecting these two
counters, a wrestler not only can stop the crossbody ride but can also eliminate
the possibility of the painful guillotine.

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Conclusion
Much can be said about riding an opponent. On occasion, I lost the standing
(or takedown) phase of the match but dominated the mat or ground phase.
Riding control with authority demoralizes the opposing wrestler. Such riding
superiority can be accomplished only by drilling.
Drilling is absolutely essential for success in wrestling. You must incorporate drills during every warm-up session. In doing so, make drilling both an
active and fun experience. Most important, the coach must be very involved
during drilling sessions by directing, observing, and correcting. End every
warm-up session with some full-resistance situation wrestling (detailed fully
in chapter 7, pages 231-232).
Drilling in the practice room is an imperative activity. Plan it and execute
it daily.
Chapter 5 offers more offensive maneuvers for the mat or ground wrestling
phase. The initial emphasis of the chapter is on those drills that prepare the
wrestlers for pinning combinations, while the latter half covers advanced pinning combinations.

chapter 5

Advanced Pinning
Combination Drills
Jim Akerly and Craig Turnbull

The difference between the impossible and the possible


lies in a persons determination.
Tommy Lasorda

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Wrestling is a sport of positioning. The wrestler who creates and maintains


the better hip position is more likely to win. In the offensive position, its a
must. If a wrestler can maintain proper body position while remaining under
control, the defensive wrestler will be hard pressed to score an escape or reversal. And this is the prerequisite for working toward the ultimate goal of
wrestling: the fall.
The challenge of mat wrestling for the offensive wrestler is to make the defensive wrestlers position longer, driving his hips to the mat. The top wrestlers
goal is to destroy his opponents position and attack for the fall.
Far too often, the offensive wrestler is satisfied with controlling his opponent
and fails to finish with a pinning combination. The purpose of the following
drills is not only to control the bottom wrestler but to follow up with pinning
combinations that secure near-falls or falls.
Chapters 3 and 4 included many drills and counter drills that teach wrestlers how to avoid being pinned. Chapter 4 exposed the reader to a number of
related riding-to-pinning drills. The emphasis of this chapter is to introduce
more advanced pinning combination drills.

Prepinning Warm-Up Drills


Expose your wrestlers to the following warm-up drills as a prerequisite for
demonstrating various pinning situation techniques. Done at the beginning
of practice, these warm-up drills not only prepare the wrestlers for the rest
of the workout but assist in improving the execution of a number of pinning
situations.

86

MONKEY ON THE BACK

Setup
The drill begins with W2 in the referees position. W1 assumes a chest-to-back
position, underhooking W2s arms with the feet hooked above W2s ankles
(a-b).

Action
On the whistle, W2 rolls and drops to his elbows in many different directions.
W2 tries to whip W1 off him while W1 tries to stay against W2s body (c-d).

b
(continued)
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86

MONKEY ON THE BACK (continued)

Coaching Point
The purpose of this drill is to teach the offensive wrestler to ride the defensive
wrestler with tight contact before executing any pinning combination. The drill
should last 15 to 30 seconds before partners change positions. Three to five
reps per wrestler will suffice.

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87

TILT LOADING DRILL

Setup
W2 is in the referees position. W1 is on his feet with knees bent, grabbing W2s
far hip with both hands (a).

Action
W1 tilts W2 by pulling him back into his hips, keeping W2s hips on top of his
hips (b). Once W2 is pulled back, W1 must attend to pinching his knees against
W2s left leg. He must also stay perpendicular to the bottom wrestler (c-d).

b
(continued)
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TILT LOADING DRILL (continued)

Coaching Point
It is imperative to teach proper tilt positioning. Thus, the offensive wrestler
must keep his inside thigh against the defensive wrestlers belly. Each practice
partner should take turns performing the Tilt Loading Drill as long as you see
fit to do so.

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88

SPIRAL BREAKDOWN

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 steps to the side on his toes, wrapping his left arm deep inside W2s far
shoulder (a). At the same time, W1 keeps his shoulder in W2s armpit, lifting
his elbow and forcing W2s arm off the mat (b). W1 continues the move by
pressuring the far hand and prying the far thigh of W2 in a circular motion (c).

b
(continued)
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SPIRAL BREAKDOWN (continued)

W1 finishes the drill by securing W2s near wrist, maintaining pressure on W2s
back while spinning behind (d). From this position, W1 considers his pinning
combination options in a match.

Coaching Point
Emphasize that the offensive wrestler should stay off his knees as each partner performs the drill. Remember, drills practiced poorly or without proper
technique are a waste of time.

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89

WRIST-TO-BACK DRILL

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
In this drill, W1 secures W2s near wrist, pulling it inside while pressuring his
back (a). While constantly exerting pressure on W2s back, W1 places W2s
wrist on his back in preparation for a pinning combination (b-c).

Coaching Point
The offensive wrestler must stay off the knees when applying pressure to the
defensive wrestlers back. Also, should the offensive wrestler have trouble
pulling the wrist out, he can reach with his free hand, grabbing the defensive
wrestlers four fingers to assist in putting his arm on his back. Finally, the
offensive wrestler must not take the arm more than a 90-degree angle to the
bottom mans body, or it could become illegal. Observe the drill partners carefully during this drill. Have both wrestlers take turns practicing this drill until
you are satisfied they have performed the drill correctly.

(continued)
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WRIST-TO-BACK DRILL (continued)

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CHAPTER 5

Advanced Pinning Combination Drills

163

Advanced Pinning Combination Drills


After the wrestlers have perfected the various breakdown and fundamental
fall techniques, you can begin demonstrating higher-level pinning combination drills, such as the following. It is imperative that you devote additional
time to demonstrating and observing the wrestlers performing these advanced
pinning maneuvers.

90

HIGH HALF NELSON

Setup
W2 is on his chest with W1 scissoring around the near leg. Also, W1 lifts W2s
knees off the mat with forward pressure on W2 (a).

Action
W1 grabs W2s far wrist
with his near hand. Simultaneously, W1 reaches under
W2s far arm and grabs his
own wrist with his far elbow
under W2s far elbow (b). W1
then releases the grip he has
on his own hand, shooting
a deep half nelson. Immediately after applying the half
nelson, W1 steps out to the
a

b
(continued)

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HIGH HALF NELSON (continued)

side of the half nelson. W1 should be perpendicular to W2 as he begins to force


him to his back (c). W1 finishes the drill with his chest on W2s, legs stretched
and on his toes, pressing W2s shoulders to the mat for the pin (d).

Coaching Point
The offensive wrestler must keep the pressure on by driving off his toes, not
his knees. This is another bread-and-butter maneuver that should never be
overlooked in the practice room.

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91

ARM BAR AND HALF NELSON

Setup
Begin with W2 on his belly with W1 applying a far arm bar and near-side
half.

Action
W1 secures an arm bar and applies a half nelson on the opposite side with the
hand deep over W2s head (a). W1 then pries the half nelson, forcing W2s head
away from the arm bar. Loosening the arm bar slightly, W1 begins to turn W2
to his back. W1s hips must be low while on his toes (b). The drill is completed
with W1 chest to chest against W2, applying a tight half nelson and planting
his toes on the mat with his head up (c).

Coaching Point
Stress that the offensive wrestler must loosen the arm bar as he deepens the
half nelson. The arm bar and half nelson is one of the most successful pinning
combinations in wrestling, so wrestlers should practice it often.

(continued)
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91

ARM BAR AND HALF NELSON (continued)

166

92

ARM BAR AND HALF NELSON STACK

Setup
The drill starts with W2 on his belly and W1 applying a far half nelson and
near arm bar.

Action
W1 tightens the arm bar on the near side and the half nelson on W2s far side (a).
Next, W1 drives into W2, forcing his arm under on the half nelson side (b). W1
drives the side of his back into W2s back, pushing off his feet to complete the
arm bar and half stack (c).

Coaching Point
The pressure applied by the offensive wrestler pushing off his toes is significant
at the conclusion of the drill. Have partners take turns working on this drill
until you are satisfied with their performance.

(continued)
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ARM BAR AND HALF NELSON STACK (continued)

168

93

ARM BAR TO PEC TILT

Setup
W2 lies on his belly with his left arm in front and slightly bent. W1 has his
chest on W2s back while applying an arm bar on W2 (a).

Action
W1 reaches his left arm across W2s face and grabs the far pectoral area. W1
then drives W2s far shoulder toward his ear and jams the near knee under
W2s near hip, tilting him into a near-fall position (b). W1 finishes the drill by
hipping into W2 as his right leg reaches across W2s body. W1 also locks his
right leg so W2 cannot bridge effectively (c).

Coaching Point
The offensive wrestlers hip positioning is very important, so guide the
drill partners slowly at first for proper technique. Speed can increase with
practice.

(continued)
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93

ARM BAR TO PEC TILT (continued)

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94

CROSS WRIST TO TURK

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position with W1 in a basic two-on-one arm
ride on W2s left arm.

Action
W1 drives W2s belly to the mat, executing a crossface with his left arm while
still controlling W2s left wrist with his right hand (a). Next, W1 quickly releases
W2s wrist just prior to reaching for W2s near leg (b). At the same time, W1
keeps body pressure on W2 by driving off his feet into W2. Continuing the
drill, W1 picks up W2s near leg at the knee with his right hand while wrapping his right leg around W2s far leg (c). W1 finishes the maneuver by driving

b
(continued)
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CROSS WRIST TO TURK (continued)

across W2, placing him on his back. He also lifts W2s head off the mat with
his left hand and posts his right hand on the mat to maintain balance when
completing the Turk Ride (d).

Coaching Point
Make sure that the offensive wrestler drives off his feet to keep the pressure
on the defensive wrestler prior to lifting the defensive wrestlers near leg. The
wrestlers will have to spend some time perfecting this drill under the supervision of the coaches. This drill will likely take more time to perfect.

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TWO-ON-ONE TILT

Setup
The wrestlers start in the referees position.

Action
W1 secures W2s near wrist with his left hand while placing his left thigh under
W2s belly. At the same time, W1 puts his right thigh against W2s near-side
buttock (a). W1 then drives W2 to his near shoulder, staying tightly against
him. Also, W1 reaches across W2s belly, grabbing W2s left wrist with his
right hand. While in this two-on-one position, W1 pulls W2 to his back (b).
W1 completes the drill with his body perpendicular to W2 and under W2s
body. W1 also pinches W2s thigh with his knees, keeping his feet close to his
buttocks (c). To avoid a defensive fall, W1 must constantly be aware of his
shoulder position.

Coaching Point
Hand control and proper positioning of the hips are important. Likewise, the
offensive wrestler must be careful not to place his shoulders on the mat, or
a defensive fall could occur. Proper technique is an important factor when
performing this pinning combination drill, so observe the wrestlers carefully.
Do not permit a wrestler to perform this move in competition until he has
perfected it to your satisfaction.

(continued)
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TWO-ON-ONE TILT (continued)

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Advanced Pinning Combination Drills

175

Conclusion
The main objective for every wrestler should be to score a pin or fall. However,
sometimes pinning combination skills are not developed thoroughly in the mat
sport. Too many wrestlers devote less time drilling in the offensive position
than they devote to takedown skills. Thus, it is the responsibility of the coach
to devote the appropriate amount of practice time to pinning combinations.
From a developmental perspective, creating the attitude and skills associated
with scoring from the top position early in a wrestlers training will increase his
ability to control his opponent and score pins. Strong skills from the offensive
position will not only physically wear down the wrestlers opponent but will
ultimately lead to more pins during a wrestlers career. In successful wrestling
programs, winners are also pinners.
Conditioning is another important aspect of successful wrestling. Any wrestler can perfect moves through drill work, but if he is not well conditioned
failure on the mat is a distinct possibility. Chapter 6 introduces effective conditioning drills. Coaches need to place as much emphasis on conditioning as they
do on wrestling skill development. After all, how often have you seen skilled
wrestlers defeated by less-skilled opponents who were in better shape? The
conditioning drills offered in chapter 6 will prepare wrestlers for the physical
and mental aspects of the sport, which are essential for experiencing lasting
success on the mats.

chapter 6

Conditioning Drills
Ken L. Taylor

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation,


hard work, and learning from failure.
General Colin L. Powell

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The purpose of conditioning skills is to supplement (not replace) wrestling. All


conditioning drills should be developed with the objective of having maximum
carryover to the sport itself. This is called specificity of exercise. Your goal is to
make each conditioning drill as specific to wrestling as possible.
Fortunately, this is not difficult because wrestling requires so many different
levels of fitness: strength, quickness, agility, endurance, flexibility, balance, and
mental toughness. Wrestling is considered by many to be the most strenuous
and physically demanding sport of all. So, just about any conditioning drill
will have benefits for the wrestlers.
The use of conditioning drills for wrestling can accomplish the following
objectives:
Improved strength. Conditioning is used to increase strength in the offseason and maintain strength during the season.
Increased agility and quickness. Developing these skills helps the wrestler to control his body in different positions and to be quicker on his feet
and on the mat.
Enhanced endurance. Wrestlers with developed cardiovascular endurance
are able to finish strong in matches, recover more quickly, and handle the
rigors of a strenuous season.
Training variety. Conditioning drills are just different enough from
technique drills to alleviate tedium and keep wrestlers interested in
practice.
Mental benefits. Good conditioning promotes mental toughness and
improves confidence.

Strength Drills
The four major benefits of an effective strength program for wrestling are as
follows:
1. A strength program should make wrestlers better, so its best to concentrate on exercises that use the wrestling muscles.
2. A stronger athlete is less prone to injury and will recover from injury
more quickly.
3. A stronger, well-conditioned athlete can hold up to the rigors of a tough
season.
4. A stronger wrestler is a more confident wrestler. He feels more able to
compete and doesnt feel the misguided need to cut an inordinate amount
of weight.
The first and most important goal of strength development for wrestling
is core strength. The core refers to the stabilizing muscles in the center of the
body, which include the hips, torso, and lower back. If you think of the body

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179

as a series of electrical pathways, you must have a good electrical conductor


to carry the current. Think of your midsection as a sponge. Without a conductor (water), the electrical current will not travel. The water represents a
well-developed core. The stronger the core, the more efficiently energy can be
transferred without being lost in the sponge.
Second, wrestling necessitates a lot of driving with the legs and pulling with
the arms, so strength conditioning should address those actions.
Third, wrestling is one of the few sports where neck strength is very, very
important.
Fourth, wrestlers need endurance strength to remain strong throughout the
entire match, especially if a tie occurs and further wrestling is required.
Finally, lifting should integrate different muscle groups at the same time.
Wrestling takes place on a three-dimensional plane: up and down, left and
right, forward and backward. So strength training should involve movement
in all directions.
In the exercises that follow, you will see many balancing exercises as well
as lifting that involves movement from one plane to another. These exercises
are designed to bring many different muscles into play at the same time. This
not only promotes strength in isolated muscles but also increases in balance,
flexibility, speed, and agility.
We want to create more powerful wrestlers. By definition, power is the
product of force and speed. Power is definitely one thing we hope to gain in
a good strength and conditioning program.
It is generally believed that strength gains are better accomplished through
heavier weight and fewer reps (several sets of 4 to 8 reps), whereas muscular
endurance is achieved with a combination of lower weight and higher reps
(sets of 10 to 15 reps or more). I am not a big fan of high-weight, low-rep lifting
unless athletes are properly taught, supervised, and spotted. With heavy lifting, the potential for serious injury increases, as does the tendency for athletes
to cheat or use improper form. The last thing any wrestling coach wants is
for one of his wrestlers to be injured in the weight room, especially during the
season. In-season lifting should focus on endurance lifting, except for a select
few wrestlers who are trying to gain weight.

In-Season Lifting Program


There is a place for lifting during the wrestling season. However, one should
not lift just for the sake of lifting. Lifting activities must be organized in such
a manner that the muscle groups worked are those used in wrestling. If not,
the lifting program will be ineffective.

Big 10
The Big 10 is a group of buddy-lifting exercises we do once a week during the
season at the conclusion of practice. These exercises help with strength and
endurance and enhance all the major muscle groups used in wrestling.

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Keep these guidelines in mind when doing these lifting exercises:


1. Each wrestler needs a buddy who is about the same weight. Heavyweights may need to lift a lighter person (coach or extra person).
2. Do one lift at a time with each partner, alternating and keeping the
team together.
3. As the wrestlers get in better shape during the season, gradually increase
the reps and distances involved.
The Big 10 approach is a very effective use of practice time. Following is a
list of the 10 exercises that make up the Big 10:
1. Piggyback Carry. One partner carries the other piggyback style around
the mat once or twice. Switch partners for each carry. This activity develops
leg, arm, and back strength.

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2. Belly-to-Back Carry. With the belly-to-back carry, the partners go only


about one-half the distance as the piggyback carry. This exercise assists the
participants in proper lifting techniques and strengthens the back muscles.

3. Buddy-on-Back Squats. One partner is in the piggyback position as the


drill partner squats for 10 to 15 reps while
facing close to the wall. Emphasize deep
squats. This conditioning drill strengthens the legs.

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4. Reverse Body Lifts. The drill partner in the standing position initiates the
drill by facing opposite his partner with arms around the back of the body and
hands locked in front (a). At this point, the drill partner would lift his partner
off his feet from side to side (b). The reverse body lifts would conclude after
8 to 10 lifts for each drill partner (c). This drill develops arm, chest, and back
strength and proper lifting skills.

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5. Handstand Push-Ups. The drill partner does push-ups while his partner
holds his feet in the air, standing behind (a-b). Each partner should perform 8 to
10 reps. This conditioning activity develops arm and chest strength in various
body positions.

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6. Pull-Ups. The drill partner is laying on his back with his partner standing
and straddling him while each partner grasps the others wrists (a). The drill
partner then pulls himself up (b). Each practice partner executes 15 to 20 reps.
This drill increases grip strength as well as arm and pectoral strength.

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7. Head-Between-Legs Lift. The drill partner is on all fours with his head
between his partners legs. His partner is lying over the drill partners back (a).
The drill partner then lifts his partner off the mat (b). Each partner performs 6
to 10 reps. This drill strengthens the back muscles for lifting.

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8. Four-Way Neck Exercises. The


drill partner is on all fours with his
partner behind him. The partner then
forces the drill partners neck in different directions: down (a), up (b), and
from side to side (c). The drill partner
should give moderate neck resistance.
Both partners perform six to eight reps
in each direction.

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9. Abdominal Drill. The standing partner throws the drilling


partner s legs toward the mat,
straight down to the left and right
(a-b). Each wrestler should do 20 to
30 reps. This activity develops the
abdominal muscles as the drilling
partner brings his legs back up.

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10. Fingertip Push-Ups. Have your athletes do 40 to 80 reps of push-ups on


their fingertips. Push-ups develop the arm and chest muscles.

Weight-Room Lifting
Do a weightlifting circuit with very little rest (10 to 15 seconds) between each
lift, lifting for 20 to 30 seconds. If you use partners, one must immediately follow his partner then rush to the next station. This program can be performed
two days a week.
The alternate-day program is designed for three sets of six reps, but consider
starting with just one or two sets so the wrestlers wont be too sore. Using
eight stations, the partners should rotate from station to station. (Note: When
using free weights, its up to you to determine the appropriate poundage for
each wrestler.)

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Day 1
Station 1: Front Squat. The wrestler holds the barbell in front, resting on
his shoulders, and does full squats, developing leg and back strength.

Station 2: Standing Cable Pull. The


wrestler does one set of 10 reps with
each leg forward to simulate a singleleg pull-in, increasing grip and arm
strength. Legs should be slightly
bent.

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Station 3: Pillar Bridge Front. The wrestler is on his knees and elbows.
He raises the right arm and left leg and then the left arm and right leg.
This drill strengthens the hips and buttocks.

Station 4: Towel Pull-Up.


The wrestler wraps two
towels around the pull-up
bar before performing the
pull-up activity. This promotes grip, arm, and chest
strength.
Station 5: Four-Way Neck
Exercise. Follow the same
procedures as for the fourway neck exercises listed on
page 186. Note: The number
of repetitions would be the
same.

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Station 6: Upper-Body Twist. The wrestler moves from side to side


on a physioball with a free weight. This activity promotes flexibility
and strength in the back muscles, as well as improved arm and grip
strength.

Station 7: Abdominal Crunch. With a free weight, the wrestler straightens


and bends his hips backward and forward (similar to a sit-up) on the
physioball. This exercise increases grip, arm, and abdominal strength.

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Station 8: Leg Curl. This exercise is performed on the leg machine,


straightening (a) and bending (b) at the knees. This strengthens the hamstrings, calves, and thighs.

b
Day 2
Station 1: Dumbbell Single-Leg Squat. The wrestler holds dumbbells
with one foot on the bench and the other on the floor, dipping and raising
his body. This improves leg strength and flexibility.

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Station 2: Dumbbell Single-Leg RDL. Holding dumbbells, the wrestler


bends forward, lifting the left leg, then returns to the upright position.
He then repeats the exercise with the right leg. This strengthens the hip
muscles and promotes flexibility and grip strength.

Station 3: Dumbbell Alternating Arm Press. Using the incline bench


in the sitting position, the wrestler lifts the right dumbbell to the ceiling
and brings it back down to the starting position, then repeats the exercise
with the left arm. This activity, like push-ups, strengthens the triceps and
chest muscles.

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Station 4: Physioball Push-Up. The wrestler does push-ups with hands


and feet on physioballs. This is not only a strength drill but also promotes
body balance.

Station 5: Reverse Hyperextensions. Using the physioball, the wrestler


lies with his belly on the ball and then lifts his legs as high as he can,
posting his hands. This drill is effective for hip strength and flexibility.

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Station 6: High Pull. Standing with a barbell held at knee level (a), the
wrestler lifts the barbell to his chest (b). This activity strengthens the back
and arms.

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196

Station 7: Back Hyperextensions. Lying on his belly on a bench and


holding a weight (a), the wrestler bends his torso down and back up (b).
This strengthens the back.

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Station 8: Dumbbell Alternating


Arm Curls. Performing hammer
curls, the wrestler lifts one arm
at a time. Make sure palms are
facing in. This weightlifting exercise increases biceps strength.

As midseason approaches, mat time is at a premium, so you may want to


use high-intensity weight circuit training only once a week. You can effectively
do this by combining lifts from day 1 and day 2 into a single circuit.
If you really want to get your athletes heart rates up and keep them up,
have only one wrestler at each station, letting them rest only during the 10- to
15-second interval between each station.
With a large number of stations, a good idea is to alternate your stations into
upper-body lifts and lower-body lifts as the wrestlers move from station to station. This promotes overall body strength and conditioning without overtaxing
one part of the body. You dont want your wrestlers so exhausted during the
circuit that they have to quit on their lifts. Also, with your help, the wrestlers
should use the proper amount of weight to be able to really push themselves,
but not so much that they cannot complete the lifts.
I encourage my wrestlers not to rest while lifting. If they must rest, they
should catch their breath while their bodies are still being stressed. For example, if they are doing pull-ups, they should rest while still hanging from the
bar, and not quit by dropping to the floor. Rest while lifting weights should
occur when the weight is in the air, not on the ground!

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Off-Season Lifting Program


During the off-season, each of the in-season lifts can be performed with additional lifts added as needed. Off-season lifting can take place three or four
days a week. Wrestlers may lift three or four sets, increase the weight appropriately, and dramatically increase the time spent lifting.
The following are additional lifts and exercises, which can also be a part of
any weight-training program during the wrestling season:
1. Hang Clean. The wrestler brings the barbell from his hips to his shoulders with palms facing his body (a-b). This activity strengthens the arms, legs,
and back.

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2. Power Clean. The hang clean and power clean are two of my favorite
lifts. It is usually better to teach the athletes how to hang clean first. The wrestler
finishes the power clean the same as the hang clean, except the lift is started
from the floor. This strengthening exercise is also beneficial for the legs, arms,
and back.

3. Flat Bench Press. You can use either a straight bar or dumbbells, lifting
both arms at the same time or alternating arm presses. This exercise also assists in developing the triceps.

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4. Good Morning SquatJerk Complex. This is a series of athletic lifts


performed in succession from the standing position. The barbell is initially on
the shoulders with the body bent forward and legs straight (a). At this point,
the wrestler squats and jerks the barbells over his head (b-c). These exercises
strengthen the back, arms, and legs.

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5. Wide-Hand Snatch. This exercise is executed in a single motion, lifting


the barbell from the floor to overhead. The knees are initially bent (a). When
lifting, the wrestler shifts his body under the barbell (b). The exercise finishes
with legs and arms straight, with the barbell over the head (c). This activity is
beneficial for strengthening the arm, leg, and back muscles.

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6. Dumbbell One-Arm Snatch. This exercise is executed in a single motion,


with the wrestler lifting one dumbbell with one hand from the floor to over his
head (a-b). The wrestler alternates the lifting arm on each repetition during this
activity. This exercise develops the legs, arms, and back.

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7. Rope Climbing. This is one of my favorite exercises for wrestling, especially using arms only. There is no better activity for arm and grip strength.
Always have spotters during this activity as a safety precaution.
8. Lunge Across the Mat. This is another outstanding strength exercise for
wrestling. It can be done by holding dumbbells at ones sides or by holding
them on the shoulders (a). It is important that the wrestler take a deep stride
on each step, lifting his knee high (b). This drill develops arm, leg, and back
strength.

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9. Pull-In From Push-Up Position. In the push-up position, the wrestler


lifts the dumbbell toward his shoulder with one arm. The wrestler commonly
alternates arms after 10 reps. This activity increases arm strength and improves
balance.

10. Chin-Up Bar Pull-In. The wrestler holds the chin-up bar with hands together, with palms facing opposite directions. He then attempts to lift his belly
up to the bar. Use a spotter. This exercise promotes grip, arm, and abdominal
strength.

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Cardiovascular Drills
Except for wrestling, there is no substitute for running to develop cardiovascular fitness or efficiency. Wrestlers gain many benefits from running,
such as the following:
1. Running promotes cardiovascular endurance.
2. Running increases strength in the legs and hips, especially hill running.
3. Running burns more calories in less time than just about any other
activity.
4. Running is an outstanding off-season activity. It would be wise to
encourage your wrestlers to compete in cross-country and other runningoriented sports.
5. Running is a great way to get some sunshine and fresh air.
We strongly encourage our wrestlers to run on Sundays and on their days
off. This helps to eliminate soreness in the body and rejuvenates ones energy
level. The distance can vary from two to four miles or morewhatever is
comfortable for each individual wrestler. We believe that Sunday runs lead to
better results during the week.

Running and Related Activities During Practice


We have the wrestlers run at different times throughout practice. Note, wrestlers can wear wrestling shoes when running on the mat but should wear
running shoes everywhere else. The following are ideas for practice running
and related activities:
1. Before stretching at the beginning of practice, the wrestlers can run for
5 to 10 minutes, starting slow and gradually picking up the pace. Related running activities include skipping, high-knee running, sideways running, and
leap running. Be creative and make it fun.
2. The wrestlers can run between teaching sessions or in preparation for
live wrestling during practice.
3. Interval training, a jogging and sprinting activity, should be introduced
midseason. Wrestling is a sport of both endurance and interval activity. Interval
running helps your wrestlers adapt to this kind of action. A rule of thumb for
interval training is to sprint for 30 seconds and for rest 30 seconds. The duration of interval training should be 6 to 12 minutes.
4. Stair running is great for leg strength because it is more strenuous than
traditional running.
5. The stationary bike is a great alternative to running. It is especially effective for wrestlers with knee or ankle problems. But note that wrestlers will
have to work twice as long on stationary bikes to work off the same amount
of calories as running.

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Cardiovascular Drills for Concluding Practice


At the end of practice, the following activities can be used.

Rope Skipping
This is a fantastic activity for promoting quickness and lightness on
the wrestlers feet. It assists with
balance and coordination and can
be an excellent workout in itself. I
highly recommend wrestler Buddy
Lees books and videos on rope
skipping. Buddy is an unbelievable performer and rope skipper,
and his ropes are ultra fast. See
www.buddyleejumpropes.com.

LOBO Round-Up
Another unique and creative activity for the conclusion of practice is
the LOBO round-up. We perform
the LOBO round-up every so often
as a motivating, change-of-pace
activity. The wrestlers really like
it. Here are the particulars of the
drill:
1. Turn on the music nice and loud. Coaches, choose the music or your
wrestlers will play something you hate!
2. The wrestlers work in pairs with partners of approximately the same
weight.
3. Divide the wrestlers as evenly as possible into six groups for station
drills.
4. Get 10-pound plates from the weight room for station 3. The number
of plates needed is one-sixth the number of wrestlers.
5. Place each group at one of the six stations.
6. On the whistle, the wrestlers begin the activity at their station. The drill
at each station should last 20 to 30 seconds. At each station, each partner
does two alternating intervals. On the coachs whistle, the groups move
to the next station. The interval of time to move to the next station should
be no longer than 15 seconds before starting the next activity. The stations
are as follows:
Station 1: Partner A sprints across the room and back while partner B
rests. Then partner B sprints while partner A rests. (Remember, the partners in each group do two intervals at each station.)

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Station 2: Partner A does the designated number of push-ups with his


legs propped on partner Bs back, then the partners reverse roles.

Station 3: Partner A lunges forward while holding the 10-pound weight


in front of him, keeping arms extended. He alternates between the left leg
stepping forward and the right leg stepping forward (a). At the same time,
partner B does squats while holding the 10-pound plate over his head,
arms always extended. He must do full squats, so the thighs come down
parallel to the floor (b). The partners then switch 10-pound plate drills.

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Station 4: Partner A does the designated number of abdominal


crunches while partner B holds his legs down on the mat. They then
reverse positions.

Station 5: Partner A performs ski


jumps across partner Bs back. At this
station, one partner is on his elbows
and knees while the other stands
beside him, facing the same direction
and alternately jumping from side to
side. They then rotate positions.

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Station 6: Partner A jumps vertically as many times as he can during


the time frame determined by the coach. He must jump as high as he can,
lifting his knees as high as possible (a). At the same time, partner B performs a wall sit with his back against the wall and upper thighs parallel
to the floor (b). He stays in that position as long as partner A vertically
jumps. They then change positions.

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Agility and Quickness Drills


Position, technique, agility, and quickness are vital in wrestling. We must teach
our wrestlers to set up their moves by creating motion, maneuvering the opponent out of position, and striking when the opponent is off balance or out
of sync.
Even countermoves are best executed by the wrestler positioning himself
in a way that stymies his opposition, taking advantage of his weaknesses and
ultimately scoring.
The following activities will assist the wrestlers in developing instincts that
will promote good timing and body positioning, proper motion, and agility
and quickness.

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SHADOW WRESTLING
FROM THE NEUTRAL POSITION

At the beginning of practice, shadow wrestling is a solitary activity that allows


each wrestler to focus on motion, body position, and timing. We use shadow
wrestling at the end of practice to work on endurance. Start very slowly and
gradually increase speed. Make sure every part of the wrestlers bodies are
where they should be.

Setup
Shadow wrestling is initiated from the neutral position.

Action
The participants shadow wrestle various takedowns, increasing speed as they
loosen up. This is a great way to work on defense: proper body position, protecting legs, and reacting. It should be composed of three to four periods of
30 seconds, doing as many moves as possible to promote endurance.

Coaching Point
Shadow wrestling improves quickness because it takes away an opponents
resistance, allowing the wrestler to move freely. Emphasize this during the
drill. Make sure the wrestlers focus on stance, level change (hip positioning),
penetration, and finishes.

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SHADOW WRESTLING
FROM THE BOTTOM REFEREES POSITION

Setup
Shadow wrestling that initiates from the bottom referees position.

Action
The wrestlers should concentrate on creating motion, getting the hips moving
correctly, and exploding off the bottom. The wrestlers usually perform three
to four periods of 30 seconds, doing as many moves as possible.

Coaching Point
This is an excellent coaching tactic to work on all bottom maneuvers: stand-ups,
switches, sit-out series, Granby rolls, hip heists, and so on. At the conclusion
of practice, stress shadow wrestling off the bottom to work on quickness and
endurance.

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GAME 1: THE KNEE SLAP

Setup
The partners start in the neutral position.

Action
Each wrestler reaches in and tries to slap his partners knees, focusing on
slapping the lead knee. Each wrestler is awarded a point when he slaps his
partners knee hard.

Coaching Point
Stress that the wrestlers be light on their feet, quickly moving backward when
their partners attempt to slap.

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GAME 2: FOOT TAG

Setup
In the neutral position, each wrestler locks his hands behind his back.

Action
On the whistle, the partners try to step on each others feet, keeping track of
who scores the most points.

Coaching Point
Stress the importance of quickness when performing this drill.

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100

GAME 3: MULTIPLE QUICKNESS


AND AGILITY ACTIVITIES

Setup
The coach can invent all kinds of agility and quickness drills by putting the
wrestlers in different situations.

Action
In practice, make up a wrestling situation for the athletes to act out then blow
the whistle. Following are three ideas for such agility and quickness situation
drills.

The Quick Stand


Have the wrestlers lie on their backs, side by side, in opposite directions. On
the whistle, the wrestlers quickly come to the standing position. The partner
who gets to his feet first scores a point.

(continued)
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100 GAME 3: MULTIPLE QUICKNESS AND AGILITY ACTIVITIES (continued)

The Leg Break Away


Have each wrestler hold one of
his partners legs, facing the partner. On the whistle, the wrestlers
attempt to break away from each
other. The partner who breaks
away first scores the point.

The Double-Cradle Fight


Have the partners cradle each other. On the whistle, the wrestler who wins
the cradle battle scores.

Coaching Point
Allow the wrestlers to compete full speed for a few seconds. During this time,
emphasize the importance of quickness, agility, balance, and proper technique
when wrestling maneuvers are performed.
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101

REACTION DRILLS

Setup
Wrestlers stand in lines facing the coach.

Action
When the coach points to the left, the wrestlers throw the right leg back. Next,
when the coach motions to the right, the wrestlers throw the left leg back.
When the coach points to himself, the wrestlers change levels and penetrate
toward the coach. And finally, when the coach points to the wrestlers, they
scoot backward.

Coaching Point
Stress quickness and proper technique when performing the penetration part
of the drill.

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SPIN DRILL FOR CONDITIONING

Setup
With one partner on all fours, the top partner puts his chest on the bottom
mans back.

Action
On the whistle, the top man spins in one direction, changing direction when
the coach blows the whistle. This drill should last approximately 30 seconds
for each partner.

Coaching Point
Encourage the top man to stay off his knees while moving left or right.

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HIP-HEIST DRILL

Setup
In this solitary drill, the wrestler starts on his toes and hands with belly
up (a).

Action
Each wrestler does a series of hip heists on the mat, hip-heisting one direction
and then the other (b-c). Or, the wrestler does a series of moves that involve
starting from the feet. He takes a penetration step, then sprawls, and finally
performs a hip heist.

Coaching Point
When performing this drill, the wrestlers legs must hip-heist under each other,
never over each other.

(continued)
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HIP-HEIST DRILL (continued)

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Wrestling Endurance Drills


Becoming a champion is like wrestling a gorilla. You dont stop
when you get tiredyou stop when the gorilla gets tired.
I think that endurance for wrestling comes primarily from wrestling. One can
build up a lot of endurance by hard drilling of wrestling moves and a lot of
live wrestling. If a wrestler stays active during most of his daily practices, he
will naturally get into shape.
I believe in alternating hard workouts with moderate, less strenuous workouts so that the wrestlers have a chance to recover and rebuild. Endurance
drills can be varied in level of difficulty and length, depending on how hard
you want to push your wrestlers.
The following are endurance (or toughness) drills that you can choose for
your practice sessions.
Shadow Wrestling The wrestlers should perform this drill (see pages 211-212
for descriptions and photos) at the end of practice for endurance. It should last
30 seconds or more and be repeated up to three times in the neutral position
and then on the bottom position.
Chain Wrestling Although this is an outstanding activity for promoting
technique, it can also be used as a drill to increase endurance. I like this drill
because it helps wrestlers avoid mental breakdowns (losing concentration,
forgetting to continue movement by acting and reacting, and so on).
This drill should last anywhere from 30 seconds up to two minutes. Chain
wrestling is discussed in greater depth in chapter 7 (pages 230-231).
Black Flag Day This activity allows wrestlers to devote an entire practice to
doing their own thing. The wrestlers are required to work out continuously
for approximately an hour, performing any physical wrestling-oriented activity
of their choosing. Not only is this a great way to promote overall conditioning,
but it allows the wrestlers the freedom to do what they want the entire practice,
as long as they keep moving. They can do skill drilling as long as they wish
and/or wrestle competitively until the end of practice. This activity is great
for varying practice late in the season. The change of pace helps in eliminating
staleness. It is a hard practice, but the tough wrestlers really like it.

104

IRONMAN DRILL

Setup
The participants start in a neutral tie-up position.

Action
The drill includes full-contact tie-ups, pushing and shoving your partner for
20 to 30 seconds. A variation involves the wrestlers trying to drive each other
out of the circle. The wrestler who forces his opponent out of the circle or snaps
him down to his hand(s) or knee(s) receives a point.

Coaching Point
This drill encourages mental and physical toughness and aggressiveness.
Emphasize that the wrestlers should be very physical, almost to the point of
fighting. Of course, you must monitor this drill carefully.

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105

PUMMELING DRILLS

Setup
The wrestlers start in the overhook and underhook neutral position, chest to
chest.

Action
On the whistle, each partner works for underhooks while pushing into the
other partner. This aggressive activity should last 30 seconds or more and be
repeated by each partner up to three times.

Coaching Point
Do not allow the wrestlers to attempt throws or takedowns; just pummeling
should occur. This drill is a great way to keep the sweat going. Use this drill as
a warm-up activity, starting slowly and gradually becoming more intense. It
is a good way to warm up the chest, arms, and shoulders. The activity is also
appropriate at the end of practice.

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Conclusion
After a lively practice workout filled with vigorous conditioning drills, a cooldown period is mandatory. We finish our more strenuous practices by having
the wrestlers walk around the mat room several times to cool down.
I also believe that draining the legs is important. We have each wrestler
lie on his back with his buttocks against the wall and his feet as high as possible against the wall. It is my belief that this resting position promotes blood
flow back to the heart and fresh legs for the next day.
It is also a great idea for wrestlers to do some additional stretching, receive
additional wrestling instruction, or get a pep talk from the coaches. Humor is
also a great way to conclude practice, along with an orange or popsicle treat.
Chapter 7 offers the coach sound practice formats in which drills are an
integral facet of the workout session. It also outlines an off-season agenda for
developing a successful wrestling program that every coach must promote.

chapter 7

Effective Practices
and Off-Season
Activities
Bill Welker
Perseverance is a great element of success.
If you only knock long enough and loud enough
at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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The success of your scholastic wrestling program will depend largely on how
well you prepare practice sessions from day to day. It is important to realize that
your daily practices must evolve with the needs of the athletes participating in
the program. For example, if you are working with young and inexperienced
wrestlers, you will need to spend more time on the perfection of fundamental
techniques. After that, you can begin to move on to more advanced wrestling
skills.

Preseason Daily Practice Sessions


Many state high school associations designate dates when participating schools
may begin organized wrestling practices. Because a six-week training period
is considered ideal in preparing wrestlers for competitive action, it would be
to your advantage to schedule wrestling dual meets and tournaments with at
least this amount of preseason practice time.
Preseason practices should start with conditioning activities and passive to
semiactive drill work. In the first two weeks of practice, emphasis should be
on preparing the wrestlers for wrestling.
Following are some examples of conditioning drills for strength, quickness,
agility, endurance, flexibility, balance, and mental toughness that can be implemented during preseason practices:
Strength: Big 10, weight-room lifting, and rope climbing (chapter 6).
Quickness, agility, flexibility, and balance: Spin Drill (chapter 1), stretching exercises, shadow wrestling (on feet and bottom), quickness and agility
games, hip heist, and rope skipping (chapter 6).
Endurance and mental toughness: stair running, Ironman Drill, and
LOBO round-up (chapter 6).
Always remember, if you begin active wrestling before the participants are
properly conditioned, you may find yourself facing an abundance of injury
problems. Moreover, when you do begin all-out wrestling in practice, it would
be wise to start with mat (or ground) wrestling first and gradually work into
active takedown wrestling.
This is also the time of year you will want to iron out your wrestlers
fundamental skills, discuss new rule changes and review healthy weightmanagement practices. Keeping with this philosophy at the beginning of the
year will make for a safer and more rewarding season.

In-Season Daily Practice Sessions


The last two weeks of preseason practice should resemble your in-season
practice sessions. At this point in the year, it is suggested that you dont teach
any new moves, but stress the perfection of previously taught maneuvers via
drills and active wrestling.

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The wrestling workout session is the most important phase of practice for
two reasons. First, it allows you the opportunity to observe the wrestlers more
thoroughly and correct their weak areas. Second, it is the best conditioning
activity for preparing your wrestlers for competitive action.
On days before dual meets or tournaments, practice should be very light so
the wrestlers get sufficient rest for their matches. A few conditioning exercises
and wrestling drills would be adequate. If the dual meet or tournament begins
early the next day, a discussion period and pep talk would suffice.
Of course, those wrestlers with weight-management problems may have to
do additional work. This would include endurance and cardiovascular activities, such as rope skipping, interval running, or riding the stationary bike to
make weight (detailed in chapter 6). However, they should be close to match
weight the day before competition. This time should be spent thinking about
their opponents and wrestling, not thinking about food and making weight.
If a wrestler is constantly dwelling on weight problems, you must step in and
sternly suggest that he move up a weight class for his own physical and psychological well-being.
At the start of practice following a dual meet or tournament, point out mistakes made by individual wrestlers. They may need to work on their bridging
skills, in which case you would reteach the Half Nelson Bridging Counter With
Partner Drill (see chapter 4, pages 144-145). Or if they had trouble countering
the double-leg takedown, you might revisit the Double-Leg Reaction Counter
Drill (see chapter 2, pages 74-75).
On the flip side, dont forget to praise those team members who had superior performances.

Preseason and In-Season Practice Format


The following format demonstrates the similarities and differences between
preseason and in-season practices. In both cases, daily practices should never
last more than two hours. After that point, scholastic wrestlers tend to lose
their ability to concentrate.
Conditioning Warm-Up Exercises (10 to 15 minutes). These exercises
should stress total-body flexibility, strength, and endurance. Such training will
help prevent injuries. The same warm-up should be used for both preseason
and in-season practices.
Wrestling Drill Work (10 to 15 minutes). Passive to active drills involving
skills and moves from all facets of wrestling are the priority during this phase
of practice. Use this approach in both preseason and in-season practice.
Step-by-Step Analysis of Wrestling Moves (10 to 15 minutes). In this
phase, thoroughly demonstrate moves, then let the wrestlers practice the
maneuvers essential parts step-by-step. Use this technique often in preseason
practices but only when necessary during in-season practices.

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Wrestling Workout Sessions (30 to 60 minutes). The wrestling workout sessions should be much more intense during in-season practices, when
wrestler conditioning is at its peak. Preseason workouts should last about
30 minutes; in-season wrestling workout sessions should last for nearly an
hour. During this time, divide the wrestlers into groups. While one group is
wrestling, the other group is running and weight training. Thus, no one is
standing around while others are wrestling. (If your wrestlers do lift weights,
it should be every other day.)
During the wrestling workout sessions, you should frequently stop
wrestlers in the middle of action with two purposes in mind. First, show the
wrestlers how they are inadequately executing moves. Second, if necessary,
demonstrate another move that would be more suitable for the same situation.
Keep in mind, the wrestling workout sessions are the most important phase
of in-season practices.
Conditioning Finish Exercises (10 to 15 minutes). These end-of-practice
exercises should be snappy, with emphasis on strength and endurance skills.
This phase would be identical for both preseason and in-season practices.
Never forget that as a coach, you are also a teacher. You should always entertain any responsible questions from your wrestlers regarding practice drills
and moves. If a wrestler does not understand the significance of what he is
doing, successful accomplishment of a maneuver will rarely be the result. The
following are several teaching tips to ensure your practices are meaningful
and produce winning results.

Teaching New Moves


When teaching a new move to your wrestlers, you should be able to do the
maneuver flawlessly yourself. A step-by-step analysis of the move is your best
approach. Emphasize those aspects of the maneuver that make it effective in
competition.
Also, it is imperative that you stress why a move should be drilled in a certain
manner, and what could happen if it is not. The more profound understanding your wrestlers have regarding the purpose behind each move, the easier
it will be for them to master it.
The adept wrestling coach never attempts to demonstrate a move he does
not fully understand. There is no shame in admitting to your wrestlers that you
will need to do some research involving a certain wrestling skill. Your athletes
will respect this course of action much more than if you feign knowledge of a
move. In fact, you could easily harm your wrestlers performance by showing
a move you dont know authoritatively.

Avoiding Staleness
Staleness in practice may be defined as that time in the season when the wrestlers appear sluggish and seem to be regressing in their wrestling skills. This

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phenomenon usually occurs midway through the season. Two courses of action may be taken to alleviate the problem: First, give your wrestlers a day
off from practice. This will revitalize their attitudes and focus their thoughts.
Second, devote one practice to an activity the wrestlers will enjoy that is completely unrelated to wrestling. For example, they might play a game of crab
soccer or have an arm-wrestling tournament during practice, and then be sent
home for the day. (Refer to chapter 6 for additional conditioning activities for
allaying staleness.)

Promoting Practice Cooperation and Competition


Cooperation and competition are both intricate aspects of a successful and
productive wrestling program. Cooperation may take the form of the more experienced wrestlers helping novice wrestlers correctly drill the many wrestling
skills that need to be learned. Also, various drills entail a cooperative effort,
where one wrestler offers the proper resistance for correct drill performance.
Of course, the most important element for producing championship programs is practice competition. The more a wrestler is pushed in practice, the
better he will perform in dual meets and tournaments. Without question, the
promotion of a competitive spirit within your daily workout sessions can never
be overemphasized.
I feel it is very difficult to distinguish the difference between cooperation
and competition within the practice setting. When you have developed a competitive attitude in your team, each member will complement the others by
exhibiting maximum effort at practice. In other words, two practice partners,
competitively motivated, are cooperating with each other by pushing each
other and striving to be the best.
Just as cooperation and competition are important factors in the classroom,
the same should be true in the practice room as well. There are many classroom
strategies and techniques that can and should be incorporated into your daily
practice sessions. Your wrestling program must include the following:

Well-structured practice plans


Competent demonstrations of drilling moves by the coach
Knowledge of how to combat practice staleness
An understanding of the relationship between cooperation and competition within the realm of daily practices

Specialized Wrestling Workouts


The typical wrestling workout session involves spending about 50 percent of
the time in the neutral position, perfecting takedown skills. This is an astute
workout approach because takedown superiority is so important to winning
matches. Next, both bottom and top mat wrestling would be equally divided

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for the purpose of polishing escape/reversal and ride/pinning combination


skills.
Likewise, you will sometimes want to incorporate workouts that add variation to the traditional wrestling session, simply for a change of pace. Chain
wrestling, situation wrestling, round-robin wrestling, and blindfold wrestling
are excellent alternatives that are described in the following pages.

Chain Wrestling
Too often in contemporary scholastic matches the bottom wrestler will attempt
to escape or reverse his opponent by using only one or two moves. If they dont
work, his opponent ultimately ends up riding him. We seem to have forgotten
a lost artchain wrestling, a fast-paced bottom maneuver and top countermaneuver wrestling activity. The most common chain wrestling skills include
the following multiple moves:
Standard Chain Wrestling Workout
Sit-out to turn-in (bottom wrestler)
Step 1
Follow sit-out to turn-in (top wrestler)
Sit-out to turn-out (bottom wrestler)
Step 2
Follow sit-out to turn-out (top wrestler)
Switch (bottom wrestler)
Step 3
Reswitch (top wrestler)
Side roll (bottom wrestler)
Step 4
Re-side roll (top wrestler)
Granby roll (bottom wrestler)
Step 5
Granby roll follow-through on head (top wrestler)
Stand-up (bottom wrestler)
Step 6
Back heel trip to mat (top wrestler)
Wrestlers repeat this chain wrestling process as many times as instructed by
the coach (usually three to five cycles) with wrestler W1 on the bottom. Then
wrestler W2 would assume the bottom position, repeating the cycle the same
number of times.
Of course, you may develop variations to this chain wrestling format to suit
your particular mat wrestling concerns. No matter how you plan your chain
wrestling activity, the key purpose of the workout is to train the bottom wrestler not to stop after one or two moves.
Another benefit of chain wrestling is that it teaches the top wrestler how to
follow moves performed by the bottom wrestler. Likewise, it is a superb conditioning tool for workout sessions. You may even want to create a practice
competition out of chain wrestling, timing the wrestlers to see which pair is
quickest in completing the cycles.

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231

In recent decades, coaches have placed so much emphasis on takedowns that


many have ignored the importance of moving on the bottom. Chain wrestling
is a snappy workout activity that doesnt take much practice time and leads
to improved mat wrestling.

Situation Wrestling
Situation wrestling is usually incorporated during the season. It is much like a
regular workout session with one exception: the wrestlers are placed in various wrestling positions and begin wrestling from that point. As with typical
wrestling workouts, the coach should periodically stop the wrestlers to demonstrate what they are doing wrong.
There is a twofold purpose for including situation wrestling in daily practice
sessions. First, you can use the strategy to work on new moves and to demonstrate how they should be performed during real wrestling situations.
The second rationale for adding situation wrestling to practice plans involves the scouting phase of coaching. While scouting rival teams, the coach
often observes certain moves that members of these squads use the most to
score points. Wisely, the coach will place his wrestlers in these various move
situations, having them counter the maneuvers in preparation for an upcoming dual meet or tournament. This wrestling strategy has been very successful
over the years.
Lets now consider two examples of situation wrestlingone for perfecting
new moves and the other to prepare for competition.

Drilling a New Move


The coach has just completed demonstrating the standing suicide switch reversal maneuver. At this point, the wrestlers perform the maneuver in the
following manner:
1. After standing up, the bottom wrestler fakes a standing switch, turning
from one side to the other.
2. Then the bottom wrestler drops forward to the mat head first.
3. Finally, just before the bottom wrestlers head hits the mat, he executes
a quick hip-heist switch, scoring the reversal.
After the wrestlers passively perform the move, the coach then places the
wrestlers in the standing position and blows the whistle. With the top wrestler
resisting fully, the bottom wrestler is given 15 seconds to complete the standing suicide switch. This is an all-out burst of wrestling effort by both wrestlers,
with the coach periodically stopping the action to correct mistakes.

Drilling for Competition


When scouting the next dual meet opponent, the coach learns that the majority
of wrestlers are very proficient at scoring double-leg takedowns.

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At practices leading up to the meet, the coach places the wrestlers in the
neutral position. He instructs the attacking team members to deeply penetrate
the opponents defense, clamping their hands around the knees.
On the whistle, the wrestlers defend themselves from the double-leg takedown counter, performing the following steps:
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Crossface and sprawl


Whizzer and hip into opponent with whipping action
Force head down with free hand and push away

This process continues until all practice partners have demonstrated the
ability to properly counter the double-leg takedown.
Situation wrestling will greatly enhance the skill level of all team members.
Do not fail to make it part of your workout repertoire.

Round-Robin Wrestling
Round-robin wrestling is another action-packed workout. One advantage to
round-robin wrestling is that the entire squad participates simultaneously.
This routine involves the following procedure:
1. Divide the team into groups of five wrestlers who weigh as close to
each other as possible.
2. Assign a number from 1 to 5 to each wrestler in the group.
3. Wrestler 1 steps in the center of his group. He is given 30 seconds to
score a takedown on each member of his group as follows:
Wrestler 1 vs. wrestler 2
Wrestler 1 vs. wrestler 3
Wrestler 1 vs. wrestler 4
Wrestler 1 vs. wrestler 5
4. If a takedown is scored in less than 30 seconds, the participants stand
up and go at it again (and again) until time has expired.
5. Then wrestler 2 does the same with wrestlers 3, 4, 5, and 1. The process
continues until everyone in the group has spent his time in the middle.
6. This round-robin session would include wrestling in the referees position, emphasizing escapes, reversals, rides, or pinning combinations.
7. The inactive wrestlers for each group may act as spotters, protecting the
active wrestlers from going out of bounds or colliding with other pairs.
As you can visualize, round-robin wrestling consists of a very invigorating
workout. The prime objectives are quite obvious: conditioning and further
skill development. Following are some interesting variations that make this
alternative wrestling strategy even more intriguing:

CHAPTER 7

Effective Practices and Off-Season Activities

233

1. Each group member as the primary wrestler would be required to


counter maneuvers directed toward him by his round-robin rival, per covert
instructions given to his practice opponents from the coach. This would encompass countermoves from both the neutral and referees (bottom and top)
positions.
2. The inactive wrestlers in the group could be instructed to run in place,
rather than just stand there.
3. The coach could include an intragroup competition of the round-robin
exercise by keeping track of who has the most takedowns (for example) in
each group during the session workout. One appropriate incentive would be
to exempt the winning wrestlers from closing exercises.
Of course, the creative coach may come up with even more novel approaches
to enhance the round-robin experience. Thats fantastic! Just remember to follow
the previous guidelines, and it will be a productive and successful substitute
to the traditional workout scheme.

Blindfold Wrestling
Blindfold wrestling is another beneficial practice innovation. The workout session is the same, with one exception: the wrestlers are blindfolded. Though the
wrestlers may be a little hesitant at first, they will soon realize that they really
dont need their eyes to wrestle.
Proper body positioning in wrestling is really a matter of feel, a sense of
where you are or should be. Of course, such mat sense can be achieved only
via years of practice. Blindfold wrestling is one workout medium a coach can
implement to achieve this wrestler-oriented goal. The only props needed are
blindfolds cut from old bed sheets. Following are a few basic guidelines for
incorporating blindfold wrestling into your daily practices:
1. When first introducing the wrestlers to blindfold wrestling, blindfold
only one of the wrestlers in each pair. The sighted wrestler will help stop
his opponent when going out of bounds.
2. After both wrestlers have experienced being alternately blindfolded and
feel comfortable with the technique, blindfold both of them.
3. To start in the neutral position, the two wrestlers will use the fingertouch method as described in Rule 6 of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book.
This will also prepare the wrestlers should they ever have to compete
against a wrestler with a vision impairment.
4. No variations are needed for the referees position, even if the optional
offensive starting position is used.
5. The wrestlers must stay in continuous contact with each other throughout
the entire workout.

234

The Wrestling Drill Book

Safety measures must be taken into consideration. First, there should be


fewer wrestling pairs competing on the mats than usual during blindfold
wrestling. Second, those wrestlers waiting to work out must act as spotters,
stopping their peers as they are about to go out of bounds. Third, these wrestlers
should also lead the blindfolded wrestlers back to their starting positions and
restart them. Finally, the coachs whistle must be the signal for all blindfolded
wrestlers to stop immediately.
During a blindfold wrestling session, the coach should stop the wrestlers
and ask them what they are experiencing. The most common response will be
that the wrestlers found themselves reacting to their opponents movements
rather than thinking about what to do.
You will learn by watching whether your wrestlers are responding properly
and swiftly enough, relying primarily on their sense of touch rather than sight.
And as we all know, this tactile (or mat) sense is a characteristic observed in
all champion wrestlers.
Chain wrestling, situation wrestling, round-robin wrestling, and blindfold
wrestling have so much to add to a comprehensive wrestling program. These
workout alternatives increase stamina, develop continuous mat (or ground)
wrestling abilities, improve takedown skills, promote mat sense, and further
prepare the wrestlers for competition.

Off-Season Activities
The dedicated wrestler does not stop learning and training when the last
practice of the season ends. He is continually looking for ways to improve his
wrestling skills, muscle tone, and cardiovascular endurance. These objectives
can be accomplished through a variety of activities during the postseason
months. The following are off-season priorities for the aspiring state champion:
summer wrestling clinics, postseason wrestling tournaments, weight training,
and off-season sports or running.

Summer Wrestling Clinics


To improve technique, the sincere wrestler should attend summer wrestling
clinics, prepared to take notes. He should not try to learn all the moves taught
during the weeklong clinic, especially those so-called clinic moves. These
are maneuvers that look fancy but are rarely used or successful in competition.
They are not founded on sound fundamentals. Clinicians present them to catch
the eyes of the campers in order to teach the truly worthwhile moves.
The wrestlers prime objective should be to learn one or two new moves
in each area of wrestling (takedowns, escapes/reversals, and rides/pinning
combinations). They should be maneuvers that suit his wrestling style and
body type. For example, if a wrestler is tall and thin, he should pay special
attention to novel leg-wrestling moves.
Finally, the wrestler must consider the moves that he has had the most success
with in past competitions. With this in mind, when the clinician demonstrates

CHAPTER 7

Effective Practices and Off-Season Activities

235

the wrestlers favorite moves, he should write down those subtle additions to
the maneuver that make it even more effective in a match.
Clinics can be very worthwhile in perfecting wrestling skills if the clinic
participant lives by the following two guidelines:
1. The wrestler must keep focused on the preceding suggestions.
2. The wrestler must approach the clinic as though it were a classroom. It
is not to be perceived as a place for competition but as a place for learning. Therefore, he should never be afraid to ask questions!
In abiding by these guidelines, the wrestler will find the clinic experience
to be of great personal benefit on the mats.

Postseason Wrestling Tournaments


Of course, there is no substitute for experience when it comes to developing wrestling skills. So if a wrestler is determined to be a state champion in
todays highly competitive athletic world, he will need to compete in postseason tournaments.
On the other hand, there are some very important concerns that must be addressed regarding the advantages of postseason tournaments for the wrestler.
Following are recommendations for participating in open wrestling competitions after the regular season:
1. First and foremost, the wrestler should join a well-coached wrestling
club that stresses conditioning as well as the basics of the mat sport. The surest way to get seriously injured at a postseason tournament is not being in
sound physical condition. It would be a tragedy to miss in-season action due
to a long-term injury sustained at a postseason wrestling tournament.
2. The wrestler should not be concerned with weight reduction when competing in postseason tournaments. Year-round weight watching will lead to
wrestling burnout. This loss-of-desire phenomenon has ended the careers of
many fine wrestlers.
3. Do not wrestle in too many postseason tournaments. Five highly
competitive wrestling tournaments would suffice. You dont want to peak
at the end of summer but at the end of the wrestling season . . . at the state
championships!
The wrestlers goal for wrestling in postseason tournaments should be threefold: First, he should continue to use successful moves previously learned in
an effort to perfect them.
Second, this is the time of the year to attempt new moves. It doesnt cost the
wrestler or his schools wrestling team anything if he fails to complete a new
maneuver. The key is that the wrestler learns from the experience and makes
the appropriate adjustments.
Finally, the wrestler should be constantly evaluating his progress with the
assistance of his club coach. Summer wrestling tournaments must be viewed

236

The Wrestling Drill Book

as a means to an end, preparing the wrestler for competitive action during


the season.
Remember: college coaches pay far more attention to where you placed at
states than where you placed in postseason tournaments.

Weight Training
The three prime components of successful wrestling are skill development,
conditioning, and strength. When opposing wrestlers are identical in skill development and conditioning, the deciding factor often becomes strength.
Weight training is a year-round endeavor if a wrestler aspires to be a state
champion. Furthermore, the wrestlers priority should be to lift weights for
muscle endurance strengthmore reps with less weight, and not for explosive
strengthfew reps with more weight (see chapter 6).
The wrestlers first step in initiating an off-season weight training program
is to talk with his wrestling coach, strength coach, or weightlifting trainer from
the local fitness center. One of these individuals will see to it that the wrestler
starts his weight training program at appropriate weights (and with the correct amount of time at each station) for his body type. Not knowing the proper
weight or number of sets and repetitions to do for beginning weight training
can cause serious muscular injury.
One time-tested approach is circuit training with one set of 10 repetitions
for each of three weightlifting exercise cycles. The amount of weight for each
exercise should be enough that the wrestler strains to accomplish the last two
or three repetitions. The ideal weight-training program should occur three
days a week (for example, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).
Safety is another important factor. To begin with, it would be wise to work
with a partner of similar body size so that one can spot while the other is lifting. Note also the following basic safety tips for free weights and weightlifting machines.
Free Weights
1. Take great care in putting the weights on the bar evenly; otherwise the
bar could tip, potentially causing injury.
2. Make sure all weights are locked securely.
3. Watch out for bars that are shoulder height or above. Athletes could
get serious facial injuries by walking into the bar.
4. Put barbells, dumbbells, and weight plates away when you are finished
so that nobody trips over them.
Weightlifting Machines
1. See to it that the selector keys are inserted all the way.
2. Place levers and seats at locations that suit your body size.
3. Establish a stable sitting and foot-support base when performing exercises.

CHAPTER 7

Effective Practices and Off-Season Activities

237

4. Keep hands and fingers as far as possible from any moving objects on
the weightlifting machine.
Always remember that off-season weight training is just as important to the
dedicated wrestler as in-season weight training.

Off-Season Sports
A final concern for the wrestler in the off-season is to be actively involved in
enhancing his cardiovascular endurance. This can be accomplished via many
avenues of physical activity. We will begin with off-season sports.
In the spring, the wrestler could compete in track and field. The wrestler
who is sincere about his physical endurance should compete in long-distance
events, such as the 1500- or 3000-meter events.
Baseball is another great spring competition; it is outstanding for short sprint
training but not for endurance workouts. Should a wrestler choose to play
baseball, great! However, he should also consider doing extra running.
Two great autumn activities that are conducive to cardiovascular efficiency
are cross-country and soccer. The diligent wrestler would be wise to compete
in one of these two sports before wrestling season.
Finally, the most popular American sport of the fallfootballis another
athletic prospect for the wrestler during the autumn months. Like baseball, this
extremely physical sport also requires brief bursts of physical activity during
competition, but not stamina. So the serious wrestler who plays football needs
to add running to his daily routine.

Off-Season Running
If a wrestler is not competing in off-season sports that promote physical endurance, he must design his own running program (refer to chapter 6, page 205).
Following is an off-season running plan that has worked for many champion
wrestlers. It coincides with the weight-training schedule prescribed in the
previous section.
Because the wrestler is lifting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, he should
run on alternating daysTuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Sunday would
be a day of rest. These recommendations will maximize the effectiveness of a
running program:
1. The wrestler must first perform flexibility exercises for the legs and
arms before running.
2. During the summer months, the wrestler should run in the mornings
and carry water to beat the heat.
3. The wrestler should run four to six miles.
4. Interval training is an outstanding strategy for running. This method
involves alternating running and sprinting. For example, the wrestlers
initial pace could involve seven- to nine-minute miles, depending on his

238

The Wrestling Drill Book

body build. If in doubt, he should ask for his coachs advice. While running, the wrestler would sprint 30 seconds every two minutes, using a
stopwatch. Substitutes for sprinting include running up hills or steps
during the workout.
5. When the wrestlers run is completed, he should cool down by walking for 10 to 15 minutes. At this time, he should also hydrate himself by
drinking enough water to make him feel comfortable.
Off-season activities are very important for wrestlers who want to succeed
in the mat sport. Summer wrestling clinics, postseason wrestling tournaments,
weight training, and off-season sports and running are prerequisites for such
achievement. As their coach, you are responsible for guiding them in such a
positive direction.

Conclusion
The key to a championship wrestling program is how well you organize your
daily practice drill and workout sessions to fit the needs of your wrestlers. It
is also up to you to develop and enact a well-rounded, yearlong strategy your
wrestlers can follow. To use a movie-production metaphor, you are the producer, scriptwriter, and the directordo not let the actors down!

About the Editor

William A. Welker, EdD, boasts 50


years of experience as a successful
wrestler, coach, and official. He is a
former Pennsylvania Interscholastic
Athletic Association (PIAA) state
champion and two-time All-State
wrestler. As head sophomore coach
at Wheeling Park High School (West
Virginia), he was instrumental in producing three AAA state championship
teams. Since 1974, Welker has written
nearly 500 articles on the art and science of wrestling and published a
computer-assisted training manual
for scholastic wrestling referees titled
Wrestling: Sports Officials Applied Skills
and Knowledge Program. He was selected as the National Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year by Wrestling USA Magazine in 1987, and he has been chosen
as the West Virginia Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year an unprecedented five
times by the state coaches association.
Welker is a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (Bernie
Romanoski Chapter) and the Pennsylvania District IV Wrestling Hall of Fame.
He has served as a clinician and rules interpreter for West Virginia since 1989.
In 2001, he was honored as a Distinguished Official by the National Federation
of State High School Associations, being one of only eight officials selected annually from all sports across the country. He was also named the 2002 National
Wrestling Official of the Year.
Welker received both his bachelors and master's degrees from the University
of Pittsburgh. He later earned a doctorate in the field of education from West Virginia University. Welker and his wife, Peggy, have four children and 10 grandchildren. They reside on Wheeling Island in Wheeling, West Virginia.

239

About the
Contributors

Jim Akerly is the founder, director, and coach


for the Quest School of Wrestling in Canonsburg,
Pennsylvania, where he has produced many
prominent youth, scholastic, and collegiate wrestlers. While wrestling for West Virginia University,
Akerly became the winningest wrestler in school
history, recording 119 victories, and was a silver
medalist at the prestigious Midlands Tournament in 1986. He qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships three times and earned
All-American laurels in 1987. As a coach, Akerly
headed up the Pennsylvania Freestyle and Greco
national teams from 1989 to 1997. At the collegiate
level, he coached at West Virginia University, Edinboro (Pennsylvania), Rider
University (New Jersey), the University of Virginia, and American University
in Washington, DC. While coaching at American University, he was selected as
the Colonial Athletic Associations Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1997. Akerly
resides in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
Bill Archer is the assistant principal and head
wrestling coach at Huntington High School (West
Virginia), where his teams have amassed a phenomenal dual meet record of 426-83 (.837). Over
the past 33 years, he has won 24 regional championships (which ranks him as one of the top 10
coaches in the state) and produced 25 individual
West Virginia state champions. In 2001, this twotime state Coach of the Year was selected as the National Wrestling Coach of the Year by the National
High School Coaches Association. A former West
Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission
240

About the Contributors

241

(WVSSAC) state champion, Archer was the all-time winningest wrestler at Marshall University in Huntington and was inducted into the universitys Athletic
Hall of Fame in 2004. Archer is the state editor for Wrestling USA Magazine and
has served as the state chairman for USA Wrestling for the last 20 years. He
holds a masters degree in educational administration. Archer and his wife,
Diane, have two children and reside in Huntington, West Virginia.
Dave LaMotte is the head wrestling coach for the
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community High
School in Scottsdale, Arizona. During his 24-year
coaching tenure, LaMotte has produced 17 individual state champions, 53 state place winners, 28
district titlists, and 3 high school All-Americans.
LaMotte began his coaching career at his high
school alma mater in Bridgeport, Ohio, where his
1988 team captured the Division III State Championship and he was voted the Ohio Division III
Coach of the Year in 1989. In 1993 LaMotte earned
Coach of the Year honors when his Gilbert High
School (Arizona) squad won the 5A State Championship. LaMotte also coached his two sons, who were both Arizona state
champions and NCAA Division II All-Americans. As a competitor, LaMotte
was an all-state high school wrestler and compiled a record of 103-14-2 for
West Liberty State College (West Virginia). He was also a two-time National
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American and an NAIA
champion. In 2004, he was inducted into West Liberty State Colleges Athletic
Hall of Fame. LaMotte and his wife, Vickie, reside in Gold Canyon, Arizona.
Pat Pecora has served as the head wrestling coach
for the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown Campus, since 1976. During this time his squads have
compiled a 365-103-3 (.775) dual-meet record, capturing 17 NCAA Division II east regional championships and two NCAA Division II national titles
(1996 and 1999). Pecora has produced 100 AllAmericans and 62 academic All-Americans, and
seven of his wrestlers advanced to win a combined
13 national championships. Pecora has served two
terms as president of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), including 10
years as the NCAA Division II representative to
the NWCA. He is a 10-time NCAA Division II East Regional Coach of the Year
and two-time NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year (1995 and 1999).
In 1999 he also received the NWCA's Coaching Excellence Award. Pecora is a
member of five halls of fame, including the NCAA Division II and Pennsylvania

242

About the Contributors

Wrestling Coaches Halls of Fame. As a wrestler at West Liberty State College


(West Virginia), Pecora was a three-time All-West Virginia Conference selection and qualified for nationals twice. Pecora, his wife, Tracy, and their four
children live in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Edwin C. Peery is a professor and coach emeritus for the United States Naval Academy. He was
head coach of the Midshipmen wrestling team
from 1960 until 1987 and retired from the Academy in 2000. During his coaching tenure, Peery
posted a 311-90-14 dual-meet record, coaching
eight Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) championship teams, 48 individual
EIWA titlists, and 16 NCAA All-Americans. He
was named NCAA Coach of the Year in 1968 and
received EIWA coaching honors in 1974 and 1986.
He is an honorary lifetime member of the National
Wrestling Coaches Association, having served as
its president and as a member of its rules committee. A two-time Pennsylvania
Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state champion, Peery won three
NCAA titles under the coaching of his father, the legendary Rex Peery, at the
University of Pittsburgh. Peery is also a distinguished member of the National
Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame,
and he was selected as an Outstanding American by the Maryland chapter of
the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Peery and his wife, Gretchen, reside in
West River, Maryland.
Ken L. Taylor has been head wrestling coach at
Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, since 2001. During this time, he has led teams
to win two regional championships and one district
tournament as well as produced three state champions. An outstanding coach and official at both the
college and high school levels over the last 30 years,
Taylor was also a 1972 NAIA All-American silver
medalist for Colorados Adams State College and
captain of the schools 1972 NAIA National Championship team. During Taylors 25-year coaching
tenure at Poudre High School (Colorado), his teams
won four district titles and two regional championships. He also produced seven top 10 teams at the state level, six individual
state titlists, and two state runner-up squads. In 1981 he was voted Colorado
State Wrestling Coach of the Year, and he coached the Colorado Wrestling AllStar Team in 1981 and 1990. Taylor, his wife, Julie, and stepson reside in Fort
Collins, Colorado.

About the Contributors

243

Craig Turnbull has served as the head wrestling


coach at West Virginia University for 26 years. He
is the winningest coach in West Virginia University history, having built one of the strongest and
most dominating wrestling programs in the United
States. His teams have compiled an impressive
record of 221-148-6, producing 18 Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) champions, 16 All-Americans,
and 3 wrestlers who won five NCAA Division I
titles. Since winning the NCAA Division I Rookie
Coach of the Year award, Turnbulls squads have
consistently placed in the top 25 nationally. In
1990, Turnbull was selected as the Eastern Wrestling Leagues Coach of the Year as West Virginia University captured its first
Eastern Mat Poll number-one ranking. Turnbull was also selected to coach the
National Wrestling Coaches Associations All-Star Classic in 1992. He has been
named the EWLs Coach of the Year three times and has won five Eastern Dual
Meet Championships from 1990 to 2003. He is currently a board member of
the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Turnbull, his wife, Sue, and their
two children reside in Morgantown, West Virginia.

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